


The Sapphire Thief

by CometEclipse



Category: Original Work
Genre: Costume Parties & Masquerades, F/M, Murder, Mystery, Nautical, Pirates, Regency, Regency Romance, Romance, Secret Identity
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-22
Updated: 2015-06-18
Packaged: 2018-03-25 05:43:01
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 30
Words: 48,937
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3798898
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CometEclipse/pseuds/CometEclipse
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A historical Regency romance involving romance, masquerades, ships, a fairy, a pirate, and murder.</p>
<p>Originally posted on Quizilla and FictionPress.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I originally thought this website was dedicated to fan fiction, so I didn't think to put my completed original stories up here. But I saw that was not true, so here they are! 
> 
> I wrote this story like... ten years ago, lol. It was my first attempt at writing, and so there are plenty of issues with it. I still love it though, and I set it in one of my favorite eras! I may edit it some day, but for now I am just putting it up here as it is.

The market place bustled with vendors of food to book sellers and people busy arguing, talking and haggling prices down to a more "reasonable" wage. The Gentlewomen swished their long, full skirts talking and hanging onto the arms of dashing looking Gentlemen with their tall hats and their pristinely cut clothing. Although not the entire crowd was of the rich class, almost everyone was dressed cleanly, if not as blatantly expensive. There were a few exceptions, mostly little boys running around, chasing each other, or little girls looking solemn eyed at the large amounts of food piled onto moving carts.

The largest attraction for the wealthy was a café that served little ices and small sandwiches for the afternoon. Nothing more substantial than that, due to the ladies not wanting themselves to become overweight, and yet it was one of the places that anyone would want to be sitting at.

A woman of about 18 to 20 looked at all of the fancy people sitting around the tiny tables. She was wearing a cleaned and pressed dress that anyone could tell was not made very well to begin with, and was now quite old and worn. She did get a few looks... appreciative ones from men, but not entirely because of her clothes. She was quite pretty and just the right height for most of the men, about 5 feet 5 inches. Straight brown hair of medium length framed her oval face. She had delicately arched eyebrows over eyes that were pure blue and always seemed to sparkle. The two things that caught most of the men's eyes were her lips and her figure. She had full pink lips that she worried with her teeth when she was nervous or thinking really hard. Her figure was nicely developed, curved in the right places and slim where it counted. The only thing was that her dress was too small for her, so it was quite tight, and it was too short, showing off her ankles to the interested gazes.

Quickly looking at the sky and grimacing, she edged closer to the ladies and gentleman exiting the café. She looked at the sky once more, groaned and started forward, brushing up against the crowd of people. There were so many people that it was a little hard not to bump into someone, and she was no exception. She ran right into a handsome young man who immediately turned around and grabbed her shoulder with an annoyed look on his face. He was quite tall and his stature and clothes were of a one who did nothing for life, other than drink, gamble, and whore.

"Oh, I am so sorry Sir... I didn't mean... I just..." she stammered her face going red.

The man looking down at the girl, and then darting a glance at her cleavage and back up, smoothly interjected, "Oh that is quite all right, I am sure a pretty thing such as yourself did not mean to bump into anyone. I am quite sure it was my fault." So saying he dropped his arm, swept his hat off of his head, and bowed slightly.

She, still blushing, curtsied slightly for him, turned around and quickly faded into the crowd, slipping something into her pocket.

The man looked after her, smirking, and turned back to his companions.

"Lord, did you see her... endowments?" One man, with a face marked by the same type of cloth as the first man, said, gesturing his hand before his chest. He waggled his eyebrows and laughed crudely.

"Oh, aren't you the lucky one Ashton!" Another man, who was short and balding, reached up and punched his shoulder. "I would rather have a go with her than with any of the prissy Society Ladies that we have to deal with!"

The men bantered back and forth about all the things they would like to do the girl, and walked down the street, heading for the area of town where single gentlemen rented rooms, going home to change into yet another outfit for a masquerade ball that they were going to go to tonight.

The girl smiled as she slipped down into a dirty alleyway and knocked on a weathered door. She waited two seconds then knocked once more. The door slowly opened and she slipped in.

"Saphy! Saphy! Saphy! Where have you been? Did you get anything?" She was immediately bombarded by questions from a little girl with curly black hair and big blue eyes, the exact ones that the woman had, who threw her arms around her knees. The woman dropped down to the floor and scooped her arms around her little sister and picked her up.

"I was working, and yes I did get something" she said excitedly, "Quite a bit actually! I will be able to pay for the dress and go tonight!" She looked around the backroom of an expensive dress makers store and saw the dress she was looking for. Her face went soft looking at the beautiful creation. It was a rose pink in color that, when you moved it, turned gold. The full skirt fell down to the floor in shimmering folds and left a small train behind it. The bodice was covered in bead work and the small sleeves hung off of the shoulders.

The woman slowly put down the girl and walked over to it, admiring it and thinking about all of the beautiful women who were at the café. She got a wistful expression on her face, and the little girl looked at her sadly.

"Sapphire... If I wasn't here... would you be able to have more dresses like that?" the little girl asked hesitantly.

The women, Sapphire, turned around instantly and swooped the girl up into her arms and spun her around. "I wouldn't trade you Azure for all for all of the dress and stones that had our names! You're my little sister and I love you!" Saphy sat down into a chair and settled Azy into her lap. "Should I tell you about the men that I picked today?"

Azy, quite aware of what her sister did, nodded her head and looked at her with big eyes.

"Well, I did the standard 'damsel in distress' act. I bumped into him and blushed. When he bowed, I slid my hand into his coat, curtsied and faded away!"

"Weren't you scared? How did you know where it was? How come you knew he was rich?" Azy bombarded her with questions.

"Well, I wasn't really scared, and I had been following him around all day, discreetly, may I remind you. He took it out when he bought a couple of things, and so I saw where he put it away, and how full it was. The incredible good luck though, is that there were quite a few bills in there as well as coins!"

"Was he handsome?" Azy asked with a sigh. Sapphire looked down at her and smiled wistfully. Azy was at the age of 12, and was developing into quite a romantic. Sapphire was well past that age, living and stealing on the streets would do that to you.

"Yes quite..." Saphy smiled widely again, "Now, you just stay back here, I have to go pay _Madame Oubliette_ " she said in a dramatic French accent, "for my new gown. Ouby is helping me out, so you be nice to her, okay?"

"Okay," Azy said, "You're going to look beautiful!"

Sapphire just smiled, paid for her dress, and still had enough to keep secretly. _Time to get ready for tonight!_ She thought excitedly, _A Masquerade Ball..._


	2. Chapter 2

Sapphire took a huge breath and let it out slowly, counting to 10. She smoothed the gorgeous gown down and checked to see if her beaded mask made out of the same material as her dress was firmly in place. She knew that she looked good. Her hair was piled on top of her head, and a few curls escaped and touched her neck. Her mask just covered her eyes and the top of her nose. Around her neck and on her ears were pearls, fake, but very good replicas, and she had pristine white gloves that came up to above her elbows and her delicate feet where shod in white slippers.

Sapphire looked around at the workroom of the shop. Azy was asleep on a cot that Ouby had put aside for her. Sapphire worked for Madame Oubliette during the winter and fall seasons, as the nobility went to different parts of the country. The pickings for her were then very slim, so Sapphire worked in the dress makers shop. Her quick fingers, very good at picking a wallet of cutting a purse, were also very good at stitching nice even rows or embroidering beautiful designs. The mask, gloves, and shoes that she was wearing she made, and she had helped sew the beads onto the bodice. Ouby was letting her buy the dress for half the price in return for Sapphire to tell who ever asked where she bought it and a promise from Sapphire that she would stay working at Madam Oubliettes Dress Shop for the Exquisite. Oubliette had become somewhat of an aunt for Azy, and a mentor for Sapphire. Ouby did not like what Sapphire did, but she wasn't going to let anything happen to her new young friend.

Sapphire turned her head when she heard a door open. Oubliette, looking beautiful in a deep green silk dress that hugged her curves and fell to the floor in graceful waves, stopped at the door and appraised her friend. "Yes, I was quite right, those colors look magnificent with your coloring, and you actually got your hair to curl, delightful!"

Sapphire laughed softly, aware that her sister was sleeping, "You know as well as I that it will be hanging straight at the end of the night."

"Well, I don't care, you look beautiful. Now hurry up, the carriage is here." Oubliette pulled Sapphire towards the door, "I do have to tell you to be careful, masquerade balls are notorious for the quantity of drink, and many men will be drunk. You just be very careful, okay?"

"Ouby, I know I can take care of myself" Sapphire climbed into the carriage and hung out the window. "I won't take too many risks. Look out for Azy, she still has... nightmares. Just wake her up... and let her cry if she needs too." Sapphire looked sad and in pain.

Oubliette cupped Sapphires cheek in her hand. "I can well understand." She gave an understanding smile, "Now go get some beautiful jewelry, and don't forget to tell everyone were you got your dress." Oubliette laughed, "They will be paying you to make their gowns after you have taken their jewelry!" She turned toward the driver, an old friend of hers, who was about as deaf as a door, and shouted up towards him, "Lord Kendall's House! I say, James, did you hear me?" The driver looked down at her quickly, and then leaned closer to her.

"Wha' tat you say?" He spoke loudly, and looked confused.

"LORD KENDALLS HOUSE!" She shouted. Oubliette quickly kissed Sapphire on the cheek and whispered to her, "Have some fun, and look out for your knight in armor. You never know, love, he may be there."

Sapphire just smiled, waved, and leaned carefully back against the seat as the carriage started forward.

***

The Earl of Kendall, Rory Kendall, twirled his glass of Champaign around in his fingers and looked around the crowded ball room. He was quite handsome, in a boyish way, he was only 25, and had a playful grin. His hair was a dusty blond color and it curled slightly and a piece flopped onto his forehead. He was medium height, but his air of command made him seem much taller. He was broad shouldered that tapered down to a thin waist, and was muscular all over. The cause of the muscles was mostly from fencing, but he was also an accomplished horseman, and was quite proud of his carriage driving skills. His eyes were a clear grey, set over a strong nose, and very sensual lips. He was, all in all, a ladies' man, and he knew it.

And right now, he was quite bored. He had set up this ball him to have some fun, masquerades being what they were. He, however, could not find any... lady... of questionable virtue... that looked slight appealing to him. He had opened his doors to the public. Basically meaning that high priced ladies, or whores, got in, and any gentleman looking for a romp followed them to his house. Looking around, you could see many ladies dressed up. Some dressed as queens, shepherdesses, Greek goddesses, Egyptian deities, and the ever revealing sirens. All of the costumes showed a significant amount of cleavage, and many came up way past the ankles, something totally out of the rules of the "high fashion". The men were dressed as knights, courtiers of past eras, kings, and pages. However, most of the crowd just wore their finery with a mask over their face and a few without the mask even.

Rory was dressed as a pirate. He had on a loose white shirt that was partially unbuttoned, and wore no coat, cravat, or waistcoat (totally against high fashion again) showing off his tanned neck and chest. He had on dark blue pants, and shiny black boots that came up to mid-calf. The two most remarkable things on him was a heavy, solid gold chain around his neck, and a long, lethal looking sword hung onto his belt. No one in the crowed doubted that he was very capable of using that sword, and many courtesans looked at him longingly. He was well known for not only being able to use the sword on his hip, but also another tool about a foot left of it. He was rich, he was talented, and he was sexy... who wouldn't want him.

"Rory, old man, how are you doing this... delicious evening?" A man, who looked quite familiar, clapped him on the shoulder.

"Ashton, I figured you would be arriving sooner or later." Rory turned and smiled at the man. "How was your first day back?"

Ashton grimaced, "Hell, I got robbed. Didn't know those boys were so good at it! He must have picked me after I bought a cravat pin I had been admiring. Didn't even think to check if it was there until I got home hours later, so it was long gone by then. Not too much though, only about 500 bills gone."

"How were your lands...?" Rory stopped. "Dear lord, would you look at that..." He nodded towards the entrance and watched as an extremely fat man in a puce colored waistcoat and bright red coat waddled through the door. "Lord Fennier actually got into and out of a coach to come to my little, old party." Rory said sarcastically. "Must have been quite a time for him... poor baboon." The two men laughed and talked about the ladies present.

"Well, personally, I have a definite liking for all of the shepherdesses. What could be sexier than a lady who goes around wearing scanty clothing, and working up a sweat? Reminds me of other things I would like to do where we BOTH work up a sweat." Ashton said.

"All of the ladies today lack a certain... something," Rory drawled. "They are all the same..."

"Even that one? God she is a beauty, and her dress is spectacular... shows of her nice boobs, and long legs... wonder who she is..." Ashton said with a gleam in his eyes.

"Where? I don't see anyone spectacular," Rory said, looking at the dance floor.

"No, not there! Over there, on the stairs."

Rory turned, and his eyes widened. Looking quite beautiful was a lady dressed in a shimmering gown. Ashton was right. Her bosom was quite spectacular, creamy and white, and her legs were indeed long looking as they pressed against the skirt as she walked down the stairs. Her delicate face was cupped with a pure white glittering mask that glittered in time with the beads on her bodice. She looked like and angel, a seductive angel. As she reached the bottom of the stairs, she turned her head around, and Rory noticed curls brushing lightly against her neck. Then she turned around, and he saw small little wings attached to her gown that stopped right below her shoulder blades. A fairy. A seductive, full grown fairy with curves to please any man. He started towards her.

A hand flew out and held his shoulder. "Hold it man, I saw her first, I have first dibs on her." Ashton straightened his plain black jacket and mask. Original, Rory smirked, she won't fall for you.

"Well I am off man," Ashton said jauntily.

"Wait," Rory said, "Care to make a wager... the first one who kisses her wins... and we can always tell when the other is lying, so don't even try."

Ashton rolled the proposal around in his head. "What do I get if I win?"

"You have always liked my stallion, Turk, right?" Rory asked with a raised eyebrow.

"No kidding, a horse for a kiss. You're on!" He stuck out his hand, and then quickly drew it back. "What do you get?" mimicking the raised eyebrow.

"I get your ship, The Fairy. Deal?"

Ashton looked at him skeptically. "The Fairy is practically falling apart. What do you want that for?"

"I have always wanted a ship. You seem to have one for me. Besides this way I can make it up how I want it, not how someone else sees it." Ashton grinned widely at this. It was something Rory would say, nothing but his own ideas were quite perfect enough.

"You have a deal man. But I still get first dibs." The two man shook hands, one firm and tanned, and the other a little weak and white. "Wish me luck!" Ashton smirked, and started weaving his way through the crowd towards the woman who now had a small circle of guys around her.

"Oh, no. You're going to need the luck..." Rory took another glass of wine. "She is going to be mine..." He saluted her silently and tossed back the whole glass with a grin.


	3. Chapter 3

Sapphire laughed and joked with the group of young men around her, but secretly, mentally she rolled her eyes. The men around her were generally morons, like the two little stubby men with shirt points so starched they could not turn their heads, Gentlemen of High Fashion, like the one with the peacock feather waistcoat with about ten gold, dangling, watches and fobs hanging on it, or they were rakes, such as the gentleman who had just recently walked up, and the dark one who was leaning over her and, she was sure, trying to look down her bodice. The only one who was of use to her, however, was the gentlemen of Fashion. Surly he would not miss one of his fobs...

"My dear Fairy, do not fairies move with wonderful grace and agility. Would you perhaps like to..." and here the dark one, who was dressed like a lord of old, paused suggestively, "dance... with me?" He leaned even farther over her, he was quite a bit taller, and smiled a seductive smile down at her.

A country dance was starting up. It was early enough in the night that the musicians were able to play something that the people were actually going to be able to dance to. Once the night became later, most people would be drunk, and it would be impossible for them to make the complicated moves a country dance involved. Then is when the waltz, scandalous though it is, would be played over and over. Scandalous yes, but then again, they were at a masquerade.

Sapphire fluttered her eyelashes at the man, she had no idea who it was, for she did not move in society, and all of the men had masks on anyways, and smiled up at him. "Dear Sir, but of course I would love to dance with you," she curtsied deeply, and heard almost every gentlemen lean closer to look down her dress. "You have chosen one of the most... vigorous... dances." Inwardly she grimaced at her tone. She sounded like a whore, but she had to play the part.

After dancing the dance that went on for about eight minutes, she was very thirst. "Pray sir, may you lead me over to the refreshment table, I am feeling a bit parched."

The man bowed and swept up her arm and dragged her towards the table. He acts like I am going to go away... or run away. She did not like the man, he was pushy, he always had to have his way, his conversation was boring in the extreme, only talking of latest sports games, and she had found this entire out in just one dance. However, she had smiled and laughed and tried to find something that she could pick off of him. However, he only had rings. Normally, this would not be a problem, for you were always grabbing hands in the dance, but the rings were firmly stuck on his fingers, and as such would not slip off. She knew; she had tried.

At the table the man continued to talk about boxing, of all things. Sapphire looked around at the table. Delicacies of many sorts were arranged here. Lobster patties, fresh fruit, cold cuts of meat, and bread of many sorts. Then there were the more suggestive foods. Little cakes with icing, chocolates in all shapes, colors and sizes, cream puffs, and the piece de resistance, chocolate covered cherries and strawberries. All looked delicious, and edible, and extremely expensive to have the quantity and quality of the food. Sapphire was so nervous though, she could not have eaten a crumb.

She had yet to pick something off of anyone. Stealing would actually become a whole lot easier later on, once everyone was drunk, and when the waltzes began. The men would not really suspect anything if she had her hands on their chests or in their pockets. The only problem she would have would be to discourage the men for doing anything to her, and that, NO; she was NOT burning of lust for them!

The dark man came over and handed her a glass of Champaign. Sapphire took a hesitant sip, but did not drink very much of it. Champaign went straight to her head, and she had to be very cool and logical. She quickly put the glass on a passing footman's tray, and snatched up one of lemonade. They were of about the same color. She looked at the gentleman again and saw that he had chugged the entire glass down, and so had not seen her switch. He put down the glass, and leaned closer to her.

"Are you going to finish that, love? It is, after all, a masquerade. No need to pretend to be genteel, get a little drunk, and live!"

Sapphire gave him a wide smile. "But of course, sir! Why pretend indeed! We all know no genteel lady would be here!" So saying she tossed back her lemonade-in-disguise and drank it all.

"Shall we return to your admiring court of men?" The dark one spoke, obviously not really wanting her to accept, and say something along the lines of "You. Me. Alone. Now!"

Sapphire was not aware that she was making such an impression on the men, and agreed to go back to the group, light heartedly joking with him, thinking that he was joking with her.

When they reached the circle of men, still hanging around in hopes of her coming back, she immediately became center again. The crowd was becoming increasingly rowdy and less decorous. Many high sticklers to Society would faint away at the amount of leg and chests were being exposed. They would definitely when they noticed that the corners of the rooms were becoming, suddenly filled with people who thought they were rooms. Some things going on in them were DEFFINITY against decorum.

Sapphire, spying one of those couples, quickly averted her eyes back to the man with so many fobs. He was dressed in all gold, and proclaimed himself King Midas. He was certainly... shiny... and gold. And gold was very acceptable for Sapphire. When the orchestra finally struck the beginning strains for the waltz, she decided to take matters into her own hands.

"King Midas, would you like to dance with me?" Even though they were at a masquerade, a woman asking a man to dance was quite unusual. However, Sapphire did not give Midas the chance to say anything. She just took his arm, and he quickly recovered and led her towards the dance floor. She, one of the most beautiful ladies, had asked him to dance, over many more handsome men!

Once at the dance floor, he put his hand on her waist, and clasped one of her hands in his slightly pudgy and perspiring hand. He started slowly leading her around the dance floor. He was not very confident in his dancing abilities and was looking at his feet, straight down over his waistcoat glittering with swaying fobs.

Damn! Look up, and stay looking up!

After a while, though he would look at her for long periods of time. He seemed to have gotten the hang of it. Sapphire would not be able to take a fob until the end though, and then point it out. No one thinks it's a girl! She thought smugly.

Surprisingly, Sapphire liked King Midas, and felt a little guilty that she was going to relieve him of one of his treasures. King Midas was a pleasant man who talked about a number of things. It seems that he mostly likes to stay in the country, and Sapphire talked to him about any number of things that seem to only amuse those who like the country in contrast to the city.

Finally the waltz flourished to the end. Though she liked talking to him, she did have to be able to feed Azy. As Midas bowed to her, and she curtsied, she slipped her arm through his, and quickly slipped one of the less intricate of the fobs off. She had sewn a pocket in her dress, like all of her dresses, and slipped it in there while reaching to adjust her mask. No one was even slightly aware. Sapphire had made sure that she was incredibly good, even starving herself because she had no way of making money, before she even tried to steal little things from people. Azy needed her, and she could not get caught. She was very aware that the penalty for theft was hanging.

The two slowly walked their way back to her earlier position when she looked at his waistcoat.

"Oh dear! Didn't you have another fob?" She asked pointing to his others.

"What!" Midas looked down quickly and started looking on the floor. "Where could have it gone?"

"It must have come off when we were dancing. Did you notice it there before?"

"Yes, yes, of course I did! That damn clasp never was quite good, should have gotten it fixed..." Sapphire of course knew that, she had seen it, and used it to her advantage.

"I would suggest looking at the dance floor, or around it. It will be devilishly hard though! Someone could have kicked it, or a footman picked it up, or someone picked it..." She faded off, as King Midas, bent over in half, looked on the ground for it. She had to suppress a quick giggle, a slightly plump man, in complete gold, looking for a little gold fob. He was quickly swallowed up by the crowd, making her walk the rest of the way by herself.

A man materialized out of the crowd in front of her. He wore all black, and had a black mask on. He seemed familiar to her, the brown hair, and the thin, but not muscular build.

"My dear Fairy, I have been captured by your amazing beauty. I swear you have put fairy dust in my eyes for I will not be able to rest until I can dance with you!" So saying he swept a bow, and instantly a vision passed before Sapphire's eyes. Earlier today, the same sweeping bow, and a full purse in her pocket. She could not move.

"What say you, my fair maiden?" He said, offering his arm.

"I... I have to use the ladies room!" She said quickly, spun around, and then turned around slowly. "I am very sorry sir, but it is most urgent, for I have drunk some lemonade quite quickly. I will, of course, be pleased to dance with you after I return," So saying she curtsied, and walked decorously over to a door that was slightly opened.

Once there, she hurried down the hall, opening doors until she found an unoccupied room. This house is HUGE! For a town house. Our house in the country- She quickly cut off that thought. Too many painful memories.

Sapphire stepped into the room and closed the door behind her. She had seen someone she had stolen from. That had never happened before. And frankly, it had startled her. She was good, but supposed he had checked for his wallet. You never take the money when you bump into them; most people's reaction is to see if their money is still there. That is why you take it after. But suppose he had checked it! It was too risky; she had to get out of here.

She slowly peeked out of the door, and waited until a footman went by. Apparently this was the route to the kitchen, for he was carrying a full tray of wine.

"Please, would you have my coach brought around? It is hired, and so has no crest, but the coachman answers to the name of James, and he is almost deaf. "

The footman merely nodded with wide eyes. Not only was the lady beautiful, but she also asked nicely. Not many members of the Nobility talked to servants very nicely. He hurried off quickly to help the poor lady... fairy, he corrected after she turned around and went into the room again.

Sapphire looked at the room more closely. It must be a small little day room, for there was nothing distinguishing in it. A fireplace, a little decorative table with a few expensive knickknacks, a plush couch and a pair of chairs, but there was a large set of windows that would receive the afternoon sun without making it too hot. Sapphire, thief she is, went over to the windows and started looking for weak spots. She would not break in when the master was home, for there were far too many servants. However, during the winter, most of the staff traveled with the master to his other home to keep that house spick and span.

She opened the window, seeing if it squeaked. Nope, a sign of a well-run household. She needed to see how far off the ground it was, and so she pulled a little foot stool over to the window, and stepped up and leaned her upper body out of the window... not too far...

"Well, I have never seen someone try to break OUT of a house before," a low voice drawled behind her.


	4. Chapter 4

A hand shot out and grabbed her by the waist, and hauled her back from the window.

"What are you doing, my fairy? Couldn't just fly away?" The arm pulled her up against a strong chest. The unknown man was talking against her ear, his breath going across her cheek, making her shiver.

"Unhand me Sir!" She struggled against his arm, but he just tightened his hold, her entire body pressing harder against his. Sapphire was terrified. What if he found the fob? What if he suspected her of theft? If he decided to search her, what would she do?

"Sir," She stopped struggling and straightened her spine. "I did not sneak in. I was a guest at this party!" He chuckled, and she felt it rumble through his chest. He let go of her slowly. She took hasty steps away from him and then stopped, too stubborn to look at him.

"Oh, I know. I saw you."

Finally her curiosity got the better of her and she turned around slowly. _Oh, wow. Of course he would have to be so damned handsome. A pirate..._ An open shirt showed his nicely developed chest, the white contrasting with his tan. His hair was ruffled and she had a sudden impulse to run her hand through it. His breeches molded to his rock hard thighs. The mask covered most of his face, but she could just tell that he was handsome. His jaw was too chiseled, his lips too sensual, for the rest of his face not to match it. She looked quickly up to his eyes, and saw a cool, clear grey color. They were silently laughing at her, and she was reminded of her secret passion.

Sapphire, for her entire life, had always had a secret passion for men who worked on boats. They were always so strong, seemed so full of life, not restrained by the unfairness that this country delved out to those who worked for a living. The poor had nothing, and yet sapphire had never had any fun being rich. Yet, even now, when she was poor, she still had the secret inside of her. A man who was that strong would be able to take some of her worries of her shoulders, or at least let her cuddle up to him.

Sapphire shook herself out of her musing and realized that she had been staring into his eyes. She looked away, blushing.

The man chuckled. "Do you like what you see, Fairy?" He took a step towards her. Sapphire, startled, her eyes widening, took a step back, and then raised her chin in determination.

"You, Pirate," She said mocking him and the way that he had talked to her, "Need to leave. I want nothing to do with a man who would appear half undressed!" Then she remembered where she was. A masquerade. She was attempting to play the part of a loose woman, without actually showing she was one. She had to play the part.

"Oh, I don't tempt you enough? I don't seem the slightest bit attractive to you, Fairy?" He asked walking slowly towards her.

Sapphire started to take steps back. _No! Stop before you hit a wall!_ Sapphire took her own advice and stopped, tossed her head and stared at him coldly.

"You don't tempt me. You're hardly attractive compared to what I have... had" She said in a cool, haughty tone. However, she was quaking inside. He was making her nervous. He kept staring at her with an amused expression, but there was a determination in her eyes. Determined to do something, to her. However, at her words, his eyes flared and he narrowed his eyes and took the final steps towards her, crowding her back.

"Well, I am sure I can... persuade you that I can be VERY attractive." He put his hands on her bare shoulders and she braced herself for when he would pull her towards him. For some reason, the idea of running away did not go through her head. Instead of pulling her forward, he pushed her back, against the wall, closer than she thought.

Sapphire, contrary to her words, had never had a man who had courted her, or kiss her. She had never even been this close to another man for a year, ever since her father... Well, frankly she was terrified that he would kiss her, and she would blow the whole charade, because she would stiffen up.

The Pirate leaned an elbow onto the wall next to her ear, and settled even closer to her. She closed her eyes and waited for the worst.

"So, if I kissed you right now, you would be able to push me away?"

He was so close to her now that his breath again brushed against her cheek. "I saw you, when you were dancing, and I wanted to touch you. Right here." He placed his hand on the side of her neck, and dragged it slowly up to the base of her hair. The calluses created a kind of friction that made her feel languid, like a rich cup of hot chocolate. Her eyes slowly opened, and she gazed into his eyes. The grey was darker now, but the determined glint was still in their depths. He was affecting her. The way he looked at her, his touch and his voice all seemed to put her into a daze. She knew that would be her downfall, but she couldn't care. She wanted to throw away her tightly held control and caution. She wanted to be kissed, and not just by anyone, by someone who was an expert. And by the looks of it, this pirate was an expert. _Besides, I have to seem like a loose woman. Wouldn't they be jumping all over this opportunity?_ So, giving herself no time to think further on it, she threw her arms around his neck and put her lips on his perfectly curved ones.

The moment her lips touched his, and electric sizzle started up between them. She couldn't move, she was so spell bound. He slowly rubbed his lips over her own, making her feel light headed, and she wanted more. She had started this kiss, and she wanted all that he had to give. Besides, she was supposed to be a prostitute, and she had to kiss like one. She moaned. And he seemed to like it, for he picked up speed, causing a friction that produced a heat inside of her. She tried to get closer to him, one hand moving down to the open throat of his shirt, feeling the muscles clench underneath her hand. The other one tangled in his silky hair.

The pirate broke free of her lips, and started to trail kisses along the crest of her cheek, up to the corner of her eyes.

"Look at me, Fairy. I want to see them glitter like sapphires." The sound of his voice was rougher, seductive, and she shivered when he spoke her name, unknowingly. Her eyes flew open and stared into his grey ones, now dark with desire. He, still staring into her eyes, pressed her up against the wall and leaned in closer to her. He brought his lips to her ear, and nibbled on the lobe, catching it with his teeth and tugging slightly. She closed her eyes, moaned, and pressed against him, and instinct that she did not know consciously. He took her lips in a rough kiss. His tongue prodded her lips coaxing her to open to him. She hesitantly opened up her lips. His tongue swept through her mouth and touched her own. She jolted, snapped her eyes open, and realized where she was. _Oh my god! I have to get out of here!_


	5. Chapter 5

The instant that the Fairy had put her lips on his, Rory knew she was lying. She was obviously still an innocent. She did not know how to kiss, and if she were such a loose woman, she would have found out pretty quickly. She could have decided to take up this life now, but most maids were not pure and pretty much all of them knew how to kiss. Something did not add up with her. She had perfect English, while most maids had not had training in speaking like a noble person. The Fairy sounded like a young lady, but if she were at a masquerade like this one, then she could not be a lady.

However, right now, he could care less. He was kissing an extremely desirable fairy, and he was going to give her a kiss worth remembering. She moaned, and he picked up speed, pressing her against the wall and himself into her. She moved her hands into his hair, and he broke contact with her lips and moaned. He loved it when women played with his hair. It was one of his most sensitive spots on him.

He looked into her eyes and wondered at how blue and beautiful they looked exactly like sapphires. Rory nibbled and kissed his way over to her ear and tugged gently at the lob. She moaned and rocked against him, causing him to take a hissing breath and instantly go back to her mouth for a rough kiss, probing her lips until they opened for him. His tongue swept inside and he touched hers.

She jerked, and he knew that she was going to protest. So instead of making her pull away, he caught her bottom lip with his teeth, and then slowly let it go. Breathing heavily, he took two steps back and looked at her. She leaned against the wall breathing heavily, her breasts heaving up and down. Her lips were swollen from his kisses, and she had a glazed look in her beautiful sapphire eyes. Her hair was all in disarray from his hands, and she just looked so damned beautiful that he wanted to go right back to kissing her. He turned around and walked towards the door but did not go out.

"Well Fairy, I trust you now find me slightly attractive. And whatever you say you have had, I know from your kiss that it has not been a lot. I hope that you have a pleasant rest of the evening and will not get yourself into too much trouble," so saying he gave her a gallant bow, walked out through the door and back to the party.

*** 

Sapphire did not know how long she leaned against the wall. The kiss that he had given her and that she had fully participated in kept running through her head. She was not one of those people who were romantically inclined, like her young sister. She had seen too much of life and its cruelties. But for a while there, she had believed. Believed that the "one true love" nonsense could be hers, and with the pirate. He was arrogant, overbearing, and annoying. And sexy, passionate, and arrogant, she inserted in before she could go any farther on that thought. She could tell all of this, and she had not spent much time with him. Yet, when he kissed her, she felt giddy, and happy. She had not wanted him to stop. Thank god she had regained control of herself there, or he had, or something!

Sapphire shook her head and tried to clear it. She wouldn't think more on it, her thoughts were hurting her brain.

She pushed off of the wall and straightened her dress. There were creases in it from where he had been pushing himself against her. Looking around her quickly she saw a mirror attached to the opposite wall. She quickly went over to it to assess the damage he had wreaked on her. Her hair was fixable, except it was, as she had told Ophy, hanging strait, her lips, well, only time was going to fix that, and she did not have that right now.

A soft nock on the door sent her spinning around, her eyes widened in surprise, and not-quite-terror. Instead of seeing a handsome pirate, there only stood a somber footman dressed in his black and white uniform.

"Madam, your... ahem... COACHMAN is waiting for you outside," By the pained way he pronounced this speech, she could not help but smile and giggle just a tiny bit. Oh, she could just imagine the time that the poor boy had had trying to get James to come around.

"If you could possibly point me in the direction of the staircase, I am not entirely sure where I am." The house was large, and she had been in such a hurry. One thing she did know, though, and that was this was a house that she was NEVER coming back to take from.

The young footman bowed and led her out of the room, down a dizzying array of corridors until she was back at the party. She glanced at the footman to tell him thank you, but he had already disappeared, trained to be silent and invisible.

Her eyes scanned over the crowd looking for a fair haired pirate among all of the other glittering throngs of people. He was no were to be seen. He probably got lost in the corridors, she thought smugly, serves him right! She felt just a little smug as she walked towards the entryway, not noticing two pairs of eyes watching her.

"I cannot believe that she would kiss you, and not even dance with me! What is a dance to a prostitute after all?" Ashton had his arms crossed over his black outfit, scowling at the young woman making her way through the crowd.

Rory had no intention of telling Ashton she was not, in fact, a prostitute. He had just walked up to Ashton and said simply, "When can I have men start working on The Fairy?" Ashton had looked at him in shock, and then started cursing quite roundly. For some reason, Rory did not want to tell Ashton anything, he wanted to keep the kiss just between the two of them, and he did not want to think of why.

"Well, I want to see her off, maybe even see if I can divine some clue as who she is," Ashton started grumpily, and started pushing his way through the crowd. There was no way that she was going to come to him now; he thought with a small pang, no girl did, once they had Rory around. Ashton pushed away his self pity with a snarl, and continued after the girl who had made his friend so quite. Yes, he had noticed, and yes, it intrigued him. There was a girl out there that could make Rory reflective and secretive.

He slowly followed her through the crowd, and tossed a look back at Rory. He was still where he had left him, gazing at the Fairy as she smoothly walked around people. He had a small, perplexed frown on his face and instantly Ashton knew Rory was hooked. They had been through a lot together, and nothing had quite fazed Rory like the woman who was, even now, disappearing out the door.

Ashton followed her out into the night, conscious to make himself as invisible as possible and waited to see what was going to happen.

The fairy was actually shouting up at her coachman.

"James, I want to go home now!"

"I know that why would you 'ave 'ad that man come around and yell at me if you didn't want to go 'ome!" He looked down at her with a slightly hurt expression on his face. "Why, 'e just kept yelling at me as if I were as deaf as a doorknob!" Somehow Ashton got the impression that that was exactly what this James fellow was.

"Very well then, take me back to Ophy's please!" The women said to him and started to open the door to the carriage. Ashton raised an eyebrow. She was obviously not a wealthy woman, for she would have wanted to keep up her appearances. Only servants opened doors to carriages, houses, and such. The dress was probably her only real piece of finery, and it was very fine.

"Just because I don't want people yelling at me doesn't mean I want you to whisper! What was that you said?" The coachman looked down at her again with a harassed look on his face.

The woman took a big breath and let it out slowly. "Please, take me back to Madame Oubliette's residence!"

"Well, why didn't you say so in the first place?" James's face creased up with his multitude of wrinkles into a smile. "I can get you there in no time! Hurry up and get on in."

The woman climbed into the carriage, without assistance, and closed the door. Instantly the coachman cracked his whip over to horses' backs, and they set off down the road.

Ashton stood there looking after them, a small frown creasing his face. Madame Oubliette's? Definitely French, and he had heard of the name before, but he could not recall. He shrugged, and decided not to worry about it. He would figure it out.

Too bad she was a prostitute. His friend really needed a lady...

Well, whatever she was, Ashton’s life was not going to be dull for a while!


	6. Chapter 6

As the two men were watching a certain lady walk towards the ballroom exit, eyes and ears were listening carefully to their conversation. This secretive man heard what was going on, and saw the same thing Ashton had heard and saw, that Lord Kendall, Rory, was seriously put off by this woman, a whore!

The man almost laughed, but that would have drawn attention to him, so he instead became even more nonchalant and listened and thought. Once Ashton started to follow her, the man also made his way towards the entrance, also intent on finding out who this woman was who could fit into his plans quite nicely. He hid himself behind a pillar watching Ashton watch her.

Simply put, he hated Rory. Rory was one of those people who did not have to try hard to be accepted, who was handsome enough that all of the best ladies and whores threw themselves at him. Lord Kendall was also, apparently, possessor of Kind Midas's touch, whatever he invested in paid off in spades. Hating Lord Kendall was no hard task, and through this woman, maybe he could finally find a way to get back at the man.

Madame Oubliettes? He had no idea who that was. Probably the leader of a whore house, and the fairy was one of her star attractions. Whatever and where ever she was, he was going to find her. He would start on a search tomorrow.

***

James did make good time, as it was the time of night when all of the merchants were gone, the lords and ladies had already been delivered to their nightly entertainments, and was too early for said lords and ladies to be returning home.

Sapphire was all together excited about being back at Ouby's shop and house. Too much had happened to her this night, and all she wanted to do was kiss her little sister goodnight and fall asleep. She also remembered seeing the man that she had stolen from today, and she had no intention of going out into a crowd for a while. No, she was sticking to sewing for at least two weeks, maybe longer. Although she had left early, she had told all of the gentlemen who were in her circle where she had obtained the dress. Some of the men their considered themselves knowledgeable on all of the workings of fashion, and she had no doubt in her mind that Ouby was going to get some money from them.

"We're 'ere now, miss!" James shouted down from his perch. Sapphire sighed as she remembered their exchange in front of the townhouse. Dear lord, but the man was deaf.

"Yes, thank you James!" She opened the door herself; made sure she had all of her accessories, and then hopped out. "Why don't you come in, and I will make you some tea?" Sapphire was hoping he would decline, but she was not going to be rude to the man. He had taken her to Lord Kendall's as a favor for Ouby, and he was not expecting payment.

"Thank ye miss, but I got to be getting 'ome to my wife!" he smiles widely at her," I ain't usually away from her, and with us being so old, well, she likes to know that her man is with her!" He looks so proud and beams. Sapphire smiled a soft and wistful smile.

"How long have you been married?"

"Oh, Bethy and I have been together for ages. I used to pull her hair when we were teens. Then she'd yell at me. I still love that yell..." he drifted off, thinking of the past with a smile on his face. That was what Sapphire used to want. A relationship that had all of the love, laughter, and fights in it. Her parents used to be like that, before her mother died. Yes, she had once dreamed of it, but then she saw the real world and found that only a fraction of the people in the world find love that was forever.

"Well, I best be off miss! I hope that you had a good time at your party, and tell Ouby that I'll be telling Bethy about her store!" With that, he cracked his whip and started the horses down the street and around the corner.

Sapphire located the small key that Ouby had given her in her pocket, brushing up against the fob that she had taken from King Midas. She would have to take it to a... well... reliable friend that she had learned a few tricks from. The man would be able to sell the solid gold fob for what it was worth at an actual jeweler. A poor woman at a jewelers, and the jeweler would know that it was stolen. Not that it would stop the jeweler from buying it, but it would make him significantly lower its value.

Once inside of the shop, Sapphire closed and locked the door and made her way through the room. It was furnished like a comfortable sitting room. There were chairs and couches, low tables for the customers to put their tea on and magazines spread out. There were also large books filled with patterns for the ladies and gentlemen to look at, and a desk that held almost any kind of button, ribbon, and accessory you could think of. The main counter was located in this room and she went around to the back side, opened a draw and put the key away with the others in there. Ouby really should have a better hiding spot for them.

Walking down the hallway she passed many doors leading to changing rooms and fitting rooms. Here were the rooms where people could try on their clothes, and the seamstresses, aka- people like her, would make sure that they fit to their bodies perfectly. She passed all of them and went through a door at the very end of the hall. She passed through another room, only this time it was filled with bolts of fabric in every color, design, and texture imaginable. She loved this room, looking at all of them, imagining what they would look like in an outfit. Ouby said that she had a talent with colors and patterns, but not as much as Madame Oubliette had.

A muffled sobbing came to Sapphires ears, and her face contorted with pain. Azy was having a nightmare again. She rushed through the door quickly into the back room that Ouby had given them to sleep and basically live in.

Azy was lying awake on her cot bawling like no other. As soon as she saw Sapphire she sat up and opened her arms, silently asking for comfort. Sapphire gave it unconditionally.

When Azy was a little girl, she had been as wild as all children. When she got hurt, she turned to Sapphire, as their mother had died when Azy was only four. Since then, Sapphire had held her the same way, Azy on her lap, rocking her back and forth. Azy had never had a blanket or anything like that to hold, she held onto Sapphires hair. And she still did. Sapphire quickly reached up, and pulled out the pins, scooped Azy up and put her on her lap.

"It's okay love. You're going to be fine. I am right here" Sapphire murmured comforting words to her. Azy was only going to calm down when she had cried herself out. It was at times like this when Sapphire almost hate her father.

After their mother had died, their father had become a little obsessed with cards. Their father and mother had loved each other dearly, and the loss of her was just more than their father could handle. But instead of abandoning his children like most fathers, he spent more time with them. Teaching them games, and how to wonder, and that love is important. But his gambling debts had grown worse.

Sapphire was a lady. Her father had been The Baron Whitlow, and they had had a beautiful estate by the sea, rolling hills, cliffs jutting down to the sea, a large house with cozy rooms. As their father was the closest lord, the village that was along the sea looked up to him and respected him. He was a good man, fair in temper and in justice. The two girls were a favorite among the people as well, sweet, even tempered, and as curious as they came. The people had been indulging to them and taught them whatever they expressed an interest in. Sapphire and Azure had spent their childhood learning to cook, weave, play little penny whistles, ride, and even, to their governesses' horror, sail. Sapphire was quite a pro at sailing, and could take herself out, but Azy had not gotten to that level of competence when their father came home from a trip to the city.

He had looked ill, and had not wanted to be with them. Of course they were concerned, but Sapphire had known that something was going to change and she resented change. The last change in their life had been when their mother died. Three days after he had come back, their father summoned them to his study. The gloom in the room pressed down upon them, their father looking grim, ill, and Sapphire, although 18, had been terrified.

"Children, I have been most unfortunate as to have lost a game of cards with a man," their father told them with wooden voices, not looking at them, "I have lost everything. The house, the money, the town house. You will not be living here. The man who now owns this house is not a man to be trusted. You must get away and hide yourself." At this he looked at the two frightened girls, one a women, one a child. "Sapphire, You MUST promise me that you will take away Azy, keep her and yourself safe. Don't let him find you."

With that, he got up out of his chair and gave them both huge hugs and kisses, showing them his love.

"Don't doubt that I love you children, I have never loved anything more than you and your mother."

He ushered them out of the door and closed it. Sapphire stunned wandered upstairs to her room and sat in the window seat her father had installed for her. Little Mermaid, he had called her, after her love of the sea. Sapphire could not think, she was just frozen. They had to leave, she had to protect Azy.

Azure however, did not quite understand the changes her life had made. She wandered around the house for a while. Once night fell, she decided to give her father a goodnight kiss, and offer to read a book to him. That had always cheered him up before. She walked over to the study with purpose in her little steps.

Sapphire heard the screaming from her room. She instantly knew it was her sister, and tripped over herself numerous times to get to her. The screams were coming from the study. She opened the heavy oak door and saw her father, lying dead on his desk, with half of his head gone.


	7. Chapter 7

Sapphire did not know who had taken them out of the room. She was screaming just as much as her sister was. Probably a footman, for she was small and light even at 18. Sapphire had been put in her bed, and watched over for three days before she came out of her self induced coma. Azure was under for six days, and she would not speak for three weeks afterwards. Her father's lawyers had held the funeral until after the two of them were awake and ready to get out of bed.

It had been cold and drizzly, a usual early winter day along the coast. Azure would not let go of hanging onto some part of Sapphires body, whether her hand, arm, leg, waist. Both of the girls were hollow eyed, thinner, and lacked the usual luster that the villagers and servants expected them have.

Out of respect for the girls, the doctor had held off telling anyone of his diagnosis of how Lord Whitlow had died. Once at the reading of his will, though, the doctor told everyone what he thought. All of the staff, their father's lawyer who was also serving the new owner and the two girls were collected in a day room, usually sunny, but undoubtedly gray and chill from the rain and the atmosphere.

"The gun wound appears to be self inflicted," he had said in a worried and pinched voice, "So it appears to be a suicide. Although, the angle is slightly wrong... he would have had to twist his arm around..." He faded off when he noticed how pale the two girls where. "Yes, well... um... he killed himself, so there is not any reason for an investigation." He sat down in his chair quietly, conscious of the somber atmosphere, and how the girls' lives were going to change.

"Yes, thank you Dr. Baker," The lawyer said in a condescending tone. He had no sorrow for the girls; they were just a way to make money. "Now, due to the fact that the Lord had... lost to another, who wishes to remain anonymous, the girls have their mother's jewels, and all of their own clothes and jewels. All of the staff is offered a post by the new employer, and if they chose to leave, they will be written a recommendation." The man kept going on and on about what the staff would receive, and what the new lord would expect.

All of the servants sat stunned. They were going to have a new employer? And even more importantly, the girls were left with nothing? Where were they going to go? Many of the servants had been on for years, or had lived in the village and had been an active part in the children's lives. They were not servants to be looked down on, they were friends, and the girls had always been full of good cheer, inviting the people to have the holidays with them, and helping a family out when there was a death or sickness, or anything. They quickly decided, on their own, to do whatever they had to, to help the girls.

Sapphire was not really fazed. She knew that they would not receive much, in fact had suspected that even their jewels would be taken from them. She was not shocked about the ownership, after all her father had told them. Ever since then, she had decided that they had to leave. Father was... had been an excellent judge of character, which made the whole losing-everything-in-a-card-game suspicious to her. Her father did not usually play cards with shady characters, said they were the most likely to cheat. Anyways, Sapphire had started to pack up her clothes secretly, and would start on Azy's soon.

Azy still had not said anything, looking like a little doll that was lost out at sea. Sapphire did not know what to do for her, apart from giving comfort and sharing in her grief. Azy would only let her hold her when she woke from her nightmares, so Sapphire was to the breaking point on her sleep, but she would do anything for her sister. That anything included keeping her safe. They were going to leave... tonight. The house would be in turmoil getting cleaned and arranged and everything for the new master.

The rest of that day past in a blur for Sapphire. The group disbanded, Sapphire finished packing Azys' trunks; Sapphire helped the two of them get ready for a somber dinner, the two of them dressed in black as befitting their state of mourning, and ate a meal that tasted of sawdust. Sapphire had managed to get their trunks down to the stables, and the old man, Phillips, who had taught them to ride and to handle horses, packed them into a cart and waited for the two of them to reach him. With much secretive word-that-is-just-beyond-my-reach, he took them down to the village, and settled them unto a mail coach. Before they could leave though, Phillips pressed a package into her hands.

"This is from the villagers, from all of us. We hope that you have luck in where ever you are going." With that the coach rumbled off into the darkness and the two left the world they knew.

Needless to say the money the villagers had given her had helped and... well, life in the city was quite a bit harder than that of her old home on the coast. She still did not want to think about it, suffice to say that she was INCREDIBLY glad that she had met Ouby, as they were going through some incredibly hard times. Sapphire had met up with some interesting people with interesting talents who taught them to her, but as mentioned before, she did not want to get herself caught.

And all of that had led to this, still holding a now sleeping Azy, who cried herself to sleep. Sapphire clutched her closer, and settled herself against the wall, making herself more comfortable, and closed her eyes. Instantly, a picture of an incredibly handsome pirate floated in front of her eyes. Now that she was at home, or as close to home as she was going to get, she let herself indulge in the memory of the kiss, a small smile playing across her lips. Sapphire fell asleep dreaming of ships, treasure, and true love.

***

Across town, another person was thinking of kisses. Rory seemed to be off in his own little world, despite the large, rowdy crowd that jostled around him. Ashton raised and eye and smiled at him. "Man, do you have it bad!"

Rory snapped out of his reverie and glared at him. "What are you talking about?"

"I asked you what you thought of the woman over there, dressed as Hera?" He nodded, indicating an enticing lady who had gold hair piled on top of her head. Her costume was a sheer linen, draped around her a couple of times, so it appeared that she was clothed, but it almost appeared, if the light hit it correctly, that you could still see the skin underneath it. She was strikingly beautiful, and strikingly fake. Rory dismissed her in an instant. "She is just a fake whore, trying to preserve her beauty so that she can be rich and gain fame. I prefer women who do not try to hide what they are. And brunettes are definitely more appealing than blonds..." Rory trailed off, thinking of the Fairy. Which got him to thinking of the kiss... and instantly he realized that he was going to be in hell for a while... or a Fairy made hell...

Ashton smiled and shook his head. "I just think that you have got it bad. You're going to be stuck on that girl for a long time, and we won't be able to go to the opera and leer at the ladies... no more wild parties to a fancy house down the road that is filled with some very accommodating women... no more..." Rory laughed and stopped Ashton's tirade.

"You know that we were never THAT wild. And don't worry, our fun is not going to be stopped just because I kissed a woman," an incredibly beautiful woman who had beautiful eyes, Rory finished silently to himself. Ashton did not need to know all of that.

Ashton just chuckled to himself. "You keep telling yourself that. I have got a feeling that nothing is going to be quite the same now!"

Rory just glared at him, and changed the subject. "Now that I own The Fairy, when can I pick it up? I need to start working on the repairs soon, and you have to help me when it comes time for decorating. Also..." Their conversation was all together too serious for a masquerade, but then again, the host of the party could do whatever he damn well wanted.


	8. Chapter 8

A week had passed since the masquerade, and Sapphire had not gone out and stolen from anyone since then either. Their money was getting to the spot where Sapphire would have to get money soon, one way or another. She was still paranoid about the man who she had taken money from the day of the masquerade. Yes, it was still best to lay low for a while. She had been working on sewing gowns for Ouby, but the money from that was not covering the cost of food and rent that she paid Ouby. When they had first come to Ouby, she had let them stay on for free, and would still let them. However, Sapphire was prideful. She was no longer the privileged daughter of a lord, but she still had her pride that a daughter of a lord would have. She insisted that they pay rent for the back room that Azy and she slept, lived, and played in.

Coming to the decision that she needed a better paying job, Sapphire went to talk to Ouby. As it was currently about ten in the morning, Ouby was working on paying bills and fixing her accounts in the little room that she called her study. Sapphire knocked quietly at the door.

Ouby looked up, smiled, and beckoned her in. "Oh, come on in child, don't stand there looking dense! Tell me what you need."

"Um... earlier in the year you asked if I would like to work as a shop girl," Sapphire started hesitantly, then picked up speed with confidence, "I would like to ask if the offer still stands. My money is decreasing, and I am only able to sew for so long before my fingers cramp up. If I were able to work in the shop, I would still be able to sew at night and in the morning. And I would also-"

Ouby cut her off, laughing. "Dear lord child! Of course the offer still stands. You have a wonderful eye for fashion, and I believe that you would be able to convince people to not go down the road of folly with patterns and such." Ouby stood up and looked at Sapphire's dress. It was a dove grey, and was fashionable about two years ago, worn, and Sapphire had grown since the dress was made up. "However, you will have to have some more clothes. The girls in my shop will be dressed sensibly, but prettily."

With that Ouby abandoned her tedious work of paying bills and led Sapphire to one of her work rooms, where the two chose a pattern, fabric, and talked about what Sapphires duties were to be while she served the nobility.

***

"I want to go into this shop, Ashton. Look at the gorgeous material. Would that not look splendid with the new bonnet I just bought? The purple matches the ribbons on it, and I have need of a new morning gown. Please Ashton?" The petite blond, named Alicia looked up at him with big brown, pleading eyes. She was Ashton's niece, although she was but a few years younger than him. Ashton adored her, for she was always happy and willing to be with him, and treated him like an older brother. His half-sister, Alicia's mother, was twenty years older than him, and he had always wanted to have a younger sister. Now he did, and he realized what a pain they could be, as well as a friend. Rory, although not related to him, was closer than a girl could be, and had been his best friend since school.

"Alicia, I thought that you wanted to be home early so that people would be able to find you! Besides this shop, this..." here he looked up at the name of the shop and his eyes widened comically. "Alicia, you are an angel! Buy whatever and however many dresses you want and I will pay for them all!" Ashton whooped and pushed her inside the shop, she looking at him like he had lost his mind. "Madame Oubliettes Dress Shop for the Exquisite! Who would have thought?" Something did not add up though, although the dress certainly explained many things. Ashton thought she was a fallen woman, a popular one, but no respectable dress maker was going to tolerate such a woman on her staff. Well, he was going to find out.

Ashton followed Alicia into the tastefully decorated shop and took and appreciative glance around. There were a number of ladies and gentlemen who were looking at the pattern cards, conversing with girls who were taking orders, and sipping tea that was provided. A matronly lady came up to them and introduced herself.

"Welcome to my shop, I am Madame Oubliette. How may I help you this morning?"

Alicia peeped up, "Outside is a wonderful lavender material, and I would love a morning gown made up in it. Would that be possible?"

"But of course! Miss Lowy?" Madame Oubliette called over to a young woman who looked familiar to Ashton. Miss Lowy came over to them and dropped into a curtsey, stood up, then looked wide eyed at Ashton. "You will be helping this young lady select a dress and get her measurements."

Ashton looked at the woman trying to dredge up a memory. Hmmm... Brown hair, sapphire blue eyes... Ah yes! "Well, it is a pleasure to see you again Miss Lowy. I hope that you did not have any ill effects from our little collision outside of the cafe?" He asked her politely. She gives him a small smile and nodded before leading Alicia away. Another image flashed through his mind of a brown hair, sapphire blue eyed FAIRY at a masquerade party just the same afternoon. Ashton smiled, and almost laughed out loud, but then checked that impulse. He had not had to work very hard to find the girl who was cutting up his friend's peace. He had to work to find out about her. He turned to Madame Oubliette.

"Do you know that woman very well?" he asked, motioning over to Miss Lowy.

"Oh, yes. She and her sister are like my nieces. Why do you ask?" She gave him a confused look.

"Well, do not be alarmed for I have no intention of telling anything, but was she not at Lord Kendall's masquerade about a week ago?"

Madame Oubliette looked at him in surprise and concern. "How did you know that?"

"I remember how she looked, and she had a dress on, I presume that was made here. She was dressed as a Fairy. But do not worry. I am not going to expose her. Instead I have a couple of questions to ask you. Forgive me for being blunt, but is she a prostitute?" He asked her, looking her straight in the eye.

Madame Oubliette looked over to Miss Lowy quickly and saw her watching the two of them closely. "Before I answer that... interesting question, why don't we move to a more private room?" She motioned him to follow her, and she led him down the hallway that contained the dressing rooms, and opened a door to the right. The room was small, and appeared to be a dressing room, but looked like it was being worked on. There were drop clothes over the pieces of furniture, and peeled wall paper was littering the ground. Madame Oubliette sank onto a white clothed chair and looked at him with an assessing gaze.

"Now, first off, Miss Lowy is NOT a prostitute. She is a gentlewoman who has fallen onto hard times. I cannot tell you more, as that is her to decide if you are someone she wants to relate the whole truth to. I would like to think that I am a good judge of character, indeed my job usually demands it, and so I feel like you are not going to cause her grief. Is this true?"

"I would not harm her. I don't think that I would be able to survive harming her. If word got out to my friend that I had hurt a Fairy who was at a certain masquerade party, he would fry me up for the hounds." Madame Oubliette looked at him in surprise, and then understanding.

"I believe I begin to see why you wanted to know what she was. Does your friend have anything to do with the reason she has been so distracted recently?" She asked with a wide smile and a raised eyebrow.

"Ha! You should see Rory! He doesn't go to favorite haunts, at night we just go to small parties, him looking out for any woman with sapphire blue eyes. And during the day, he spends his entire time fixing and working on his new boat, coincidently named The Fairy. I tell you, he has got it badly, and I hope she does too. I always thought that it was a pity she was a prostitute. Rory needs a lady, and now she is one. I... hope that you will be willing to assist me?" Ashton finished his little outburst with the hesitant question. All the while he had been pacing back and forth across the small room, and now stopped in front of Madame Oubliette.

"Well, first of all, you must call me Ouby, for conspirators should not be so formal!" She said with a wide smile. Ashton all but whooped with joy, and then offered her the curtsey of his name. "So, now you must tell me if you have a plan to bring these two together, and I shall make it even better!"

With that the two spent half an hour talking over their plans in the little fixing room. Sapphire was nervously helping Alicia pick out her material and pattern, wondering if Ouby was still talking to the mysterious man who escorted Alicia. And in the midst of all that, there was still a certain Pirate hovering and launching himself before her eyes whenever she let her guard down.


	9. Chapter 9

"Rory! I was escorting Alicia in a shopping expedition, and I found the perfect shop for you!" Ashton strode towards Rory along the docks. It was about mid-day, and Rory was working, along with five other men, on bringing The Fairy up to date.

The ship was a two-masted pleasure schooner. She was a very beautiful boat, but Ashton's parents had had no love of the ocean, and therefore, it was hauled out of the water and placed in storage on their estate. Since Rory had won it, all he did was work on bringing it up to its former glory. Much wood had been rotten and so had to be replaced. After working on it for a week, the captain's quarters, guests quarters galley, hull, masts and rigging, personal study, and lounge where all ready to be finalized. The crews' berths, storage, and a few other small rooms had yet to be finished, but shortly.

As the schooner was a pleasure one, it was meant to be handled by a small crew and of the utmost comfort. Rory intended that the ship would be able to go all over, as he knew how to sail, we was going to teach Ashton, who did not know that yet, and he could find competent sailors to help him.

"What do you mean? I do not need any clothes made up!" Rory was standing on the deck sanding down a new railing along the edge. He was dressed in a loose fitting shirt and breeches, but still managed to appear like a lord in them. Ashton was dressed like a lord, quite tastefully, but Rory thought back to the time when he used to dress like a ridiculous dandy.

"No, no, not clothes. You told me that you needed someone to decorate this hunk of wood. And I have seen the inside, and the only way I am coming with you one any type of outing is if you make the place more comfortable." Ashton climbed onto the boat and brushed his fingers through his dark hair. "You need to put a staircase on this thing. I don't know how you would be able to spend months on board this!"

Rory just rolled his eyes at his friends banter. He knew that Ashton was not as active as he was, Ashton was quite a scholar, but Rory knew that he played up the fact that he was not. Rory would bet that Ashton had a secret talent somewhere. "Well, I guess I do remember talking about something like it a week ago. So what does this shop do, interior decorating?"

"Yes, and men and women clothing, but I talked to the proprietress and she has agreed to send her most talented sales person over tomorrow to start working." Ashton had a slightly smug look on his face, and Rory gave him a long look.

"What is that supposed to mean? You have a cat-in-the-cream look on."

"What? Oh, it means that I get to decorate the best guest rooms to MY tastes. It was, after all, my boat before it was yours!" Ashton leaned into the railing with a careless attitude.

"Oh, very well, if you wish to decorate your rooms in puce and... almond, or some such thing, and don't come crying to me in the middle of the night, for I will be sleeping soundly in my tastefully decorated room!" Rory laughed at him, as Ashton pretended to be in shock.

"But the colors puce and almond are all of the rage right now. Or did you not know? Well, if it is your boat, and it is my room, I guess I will have to have it decorated a bit more decorously. Hmmm, how about orange and purple?" The two laughed at each other's faces, for after maintaining a serious face they both winced in disgust.

"Very well, if you think and interior decorator is needed to make this ship livable, then I will heed your advice. When is the person coming, and will I have to arrange transportation?" Rory continued to rub at the railing with the coarse paper.

"I have it all arranged. They will come tomorrow, and they are hiring a cab to come take them here." With that Ashton said that he had to leave, and dropped down off the boat onto the dock, and sauntered off towards his private coach.

Rory watched him leave, shaking his head. He was not quite sure why they were best friends, but he knew Ashton would do anything for him, and he would do anything for Ashton. He turned back to the railing and continued to sand away, thinking about a beautiful Fairy at a masquerade.

***

"I am doing what? I don't know how to interior decorate. Oh, sure I am the only one here who has even been on a boat, but to help design one? I don't think I can do that! I mean, I have to be up on the latest kitchen equipment and its accessories; I have to work with furniture stores. You tell me the boat is for nobility? They are going to ask for extremely unreasonable things, like china in a cabinet. Can you imagine it? If a storm comes through and breaks it all, guess who is going to get blamed because they were broken? Me! Because I did not do my job well enough. Oh, why did you have to do this?" Sapphire was pacing up and down Ouby's study, throwing her arms wildly around as her agitation increased. 

"Saphy, do not worry! I know that you will do well. I am assured that the gentleman who owns the boat is a reasonable down to earth sort of man, who will understand what does and does not belong on a boat. I believe his friend stated that he was quite a sea man, and so therefore will not give you any problem." Ouby looked at her in loving exasperation. "You are the most qualified for this job, and it will bring you a reward, as I believe you have not been out picking off the nobility for some time. Your job here will give you the money you need to have to eat and pay the rent you insist on giving me, but Azy still continues to grow, and she is going to need some new dresses soon. You will need that money." Ouby looked at her seriously. She was in no way going to betray Ashton's secret. She believed that if his friend Rory was the one that had Saphy all moony and quiet. She would be working hard and then stop and have a secret smile on her face. Ouby was slightly shocked that she was so infatuated after one night with a man she didn't even know, but she knew true love was not to be denied.

"Tomorrow morning, you are to go there with all of the swatches of materials, writing paper for notes, and anything else I laden you down with. I know that this is not our normal thing, so I will have to work on what you will need. Now, I believe that there is a little girl in the back room who would like to spend part of her day with you. Scat!" Ouby commanded, brushing her out of the door.

Sapphire took a deep breath and started down the hall and through the door into the back room. She could handle this. Besides, she would be able to admire all of the men who worked on the docks. She missed being on the ocean, and having the boat rock underneath her. Maybe, if she got to know whoever owned the boat, she would be able to bring Azy with her one day. It was a faint hope, but Azy would love it.

Neither of them had been even close to the ocean since they left the village. They had no need to go along the coast, and the docks were not really safe to the less fortunate, as a commoner would have to go through the seedier part of the docks. Where the wealthy kept their yachts and such, though, the only trouble would be from lecherous lords.

Azy was sitting in the corner, working on a reading and writing sheet that Sapphire had given her. As there were no public schools around, and Sapphire did not have enough money for a tutor or to send her to a girls boarding school, Sapphire was teaching her what she knew. Azy was a bright, but kind of a lazy student. She was good at mathematics, which surprised Sapphire greatly, but she was no good writer. However, Azy loved to read, but not books Sapphire would like to read. Science and philosophy were her main choices.

"Saphy, I am doing this, but I don't want to! It is really hard." Azy growled down at the paper, her face set in lines of concentration, but in anger as well.

"Well that does not matter right now. I have a new job for a few days..." Sapphire went on to explain what was going to happen, "And so, I won't be here to tutor you, so you will have a while to work on that. Now, what do you want to do?" The rest of the night, the two played games, and read aloud to each other from a book of Sapphires choosing.

Sapphire kissed Azy good night and went to her own cot, laying down on it. She was quite scared of this new job. Although she stole from the nobility, she did not want to be undisguised amongst them. Her father's warning still rung in her head, and the man was a Lord. She had no idea who he was, so she was always nervous of meeting him.

Sapphires dreams that night were not exactly pleasant.


	10. Chapter 10

The next day found Ouby running around like a chicken, piling Sapphire with anything and everything that she could think that Sapphire would need. Of those things, Sapphire chose what would most likely need to be used. "If I need any of the other things, I can bring them tomorrow. If this Lord is as nice as you say he is, he will let me leave my stuff there, perhaps give me a spot to work at."

Finally Ouby calmed down enough for Sapphire to put all of the materials in a bag and call a shabby coach. When asked to take her to the private docks of the nobility though, he just gave her a strange look. Sapphire did not know that the only girls who went along the nobility docks where nobility, or whores who were being secretive about their affair, so met on a boat. "It is going to cost you extra." With that he turned back onto his seat, and started to go before Sapphire had even closed the door. Rude man!

As the coach rattled forward towards the dock, stopping every now and then due to traffic, it was still quite early though, so not too bad, Sapphire smoothed down her dress. It was one of the ones Ouby had made her have made up. Of course, she had worked on it mostly herself. It was a pale grey, like so many of her dresses, and was serviceable. It was, however, in no way beautiful. The neckline of the dress came up to her collar bones, the sleeves down to her wrists. There was a little bit of lace on the hemlines of the bottom, sleeves, and neck, but still, it was more of a service gown.

Sapphire could not help but think of her fairy costume. She looked good in jewel tone colors and pink and yellow made her skin seem luminous. She thought enviously back to when she had been a privileged daughter, wearing so many colors and dresses. Morning gowns, carriage dresses, riding habits, evening gowns, ball gowns. Not to mention the odd boys outfit so that she could go down and work on the boats. She had never thought that she would have only five gowns, and all in basically one color. She could not count her ball gown, as she was never going to wear that again. It was now just a mark and a reminder of her glorious night at a masquerade where a Pirate kissed her.

The coach rambled through the town, passing from the shopping district to the apartments where the poor lived, then came the drinking establishments and whore houses, the seediest part of town, then the poor docks, and then the private docks.

The carriage rolled to a stop, and Sapphire climbed out herself. As this was no private carriage, there would be no one to help her down. Indeed, the man who was controlling the horses seemed most disagreeable, and would not help her anyways. She paid the rude man, and he flicked the horses into a trot, not even seeing if she was out of the way. Sometimes she hated not being a Lady anymore.

Sapphire had instructions that Ouby had obtained. She was to go to the third dock from the end, and it was a schooner called The Fairy. Sapphire, when she had read the directions back at the shop had stared. What a coincidence. No way did anyone except for Ouby and Azy knew who she was... right? She was confused, and now anxious but also strangely excited. She took a deep breath of the sea air and let it out slowly, savoring the smell.

Now that she was fortified and ready to go, she strolled down the third dock. Looking at all of the boats she was filled with envy. Since the nobility kept their boats here, all of them were in pristine shape. It did not matter if the family went on it once a year, or two times a week; it had to be in the perfect condition. Seeing all the boats in perfect shape, though, filled Sapphire with a kind of reckless longing, like stealing one. Perhaps, she started to daydream; she would steal a boat, and then become a pirate! And then she would find the Pirate King and he would be the perfect man for her. However, the Pirate King, in her mind looked exactly like the Pirate at the masquerade.

Sapphire snapped out of her daydream as the sound of a loud bang followed by curses filled the air. She quickly rounded the corner to see if there was anything she could do to help, when she found herself staring at a man's back. Not just a back, but a BARE back, with ripcord muscles straining as the man was hefting up a large piece of wood. He passed the wood up to another man on deck, but she was still mesmerized by the muscles. Tan, obviously he did this type of thing for a living, with intricate muscles moving in a powerful play from his back and arms. His legs were braced apart and straining as he hefted the last of the wood up to the man on deck. He shook his head, his sandy blond hair which was too long to be fashionable waving slightly, and brought up his arm to wipe his forehead.

"That's the last of it, I think. I don't know what else will need to be done for the berths. There are six in there so..." With that, the man turned around and caught Sapphire staring at him.

She was still awe struck, his eyes racking her from top to bottom, and his emotions played along his face. She felt her face go all red, and she forced her eyes to stay on his face, and not look down at his chest again.

"I... uh... I am here to work with Lord. I was not informed who. I am the woman who is to work on the interior of the boat. I... would you please lead me to him?" She said, finally drawing herself up in a cool collected manor.

"Well, yes. I can see that you are indeed here to work. Allow me to introduce myself. I am the Lord who you are to be working for. Lord Kendall." The man gave her an elegant bow, but he was laughing silently at her look of surprise, confusion, and fear. "Yes, shall we get you on board, once there I can properly cloth myself, as my shirt is up on deck. Then we can talk."

"Yes, of course." Sapphire was more than stunned. Oh my Lord! This was the man whose party she had gone to! He could have seen her, recognized her. That was it, no more parties ever for her. She had had too many consequences from the masquerade. She had been to other parties, but none of them had turned out so disastrously.

He led her over to a swing. The swing was a large canvas bag that had a solid bottom in it. Someone would step in it, and the canvas then was rolled open so that the top came up to the person's chest. The crew onboard would then hoist up the person and swing them over onto the deck and drop them down. It was the ladies and, ahem, large persons way of coming aboard. Sapphire hated it though.

"Excuse me, my lord, but would it be possible if I were just able to go up the side. I have spent my life around ships, and am in no way squeamish around them. I can climb up the steps very well."

The man looked surprised, but also amused. "Oh, right now, I have no doubt that you could do anything you wanted to. Very well, up you go." He led her this time to the side, where she slung her bag over her back, and climbed easily and efficiently up the side. As he was a gentleman, he let her go up first; besides, he wanted to see if she was as good as she claimed to be. She was.

"Very well, I see that you did not brag about being able to do it." He said once he reached the top afterward, swinging easily over the side because of this almost non-existent clothing. Sapphire looked down at her dress and almost growled at it.

Lord Kendall walked over to one of the railings, his gait easy and rolling, and his muscles also rolling along his back. He stopped and picked up his shirt, quickly putting it on. Sapphire sighed silently. Her weakness, muscles. Then he had to go and cut off her secret view. Sapphire mentally shook herself back, he was a Lord, and she should not look at him like that.

"Well, I will be blunt with you, I am going to have my own say in the matter, so don't think that you could pull me off with the most expensive materials, which most likely are the most garish. You will use common sense, and I am going to add my two bits. Also, my friend Ashton tells me that he is going to decorate the best guest room, so beware of him as well. Now, would you like a tour?"

Sapphire nodded her agreement, glad that he did indeed seem to be level headed, and incredibly good looking. She pulled out her pad of paper, and followed him around, intending to take notes as he said he was going to tell her what he envisioned, and she would be able to take that into consideration when she actually started. She followed him down the small flight of stairs into a hallway with many doors branching out. The tour of The Fairy had begun.


	11. Chapter 11

The man glared coldly at his lawyer. "You must be joking. They have been gone for almost two years. They have to be dead. Nothing else makes sense. Why would they stay away from all of their money?" He was dressed all in black today, and he was sitting behind a desk, his lawyer in front of it. The bookroom he was in was lavishly furnished and dark.

"We cannot officially claim the two heiresses dead until we see some evidence, such as their bodies, or death certificates. And until then, you do not have access to their money. I know that Lord Whitlow left you all of his money, but the girls each had a portion set aside that Lord Whitlow did not enter into the bargain." The lawyer was the same one from when the will was read. He was also firmly in this man's power. The dark stranger had more than a few incriminating evidences stored on him, so as long as he wanted a job, he had better work for this Lord. You did not want to cross him.

The man in the chair leaned back, casting his face more in shadow, and steepled his fingers. He needed to think. Although Lord Whitlow had indeed left him all of his money, it would not be enough. The new Lord of the manor had lavish tastes, and needed all the money he could get to support his life style. Already, after almost two years, he had gone through a significant amount of it. So, the girls, each having a fortune themselves, would have to be... disposed of, if he wished to get that fortune. A nasty smile curved over his lips. Oh, he knew quite a few shady characters along the docks who would do anything for a little bit of gold. Now, all he had to do was find them, and they were as good as gone.

***

Rory could barely contain his laughter. He did not know how Ashton had done it, but he had found his Fairy. And her name was Miss Lowy. When he had turned around to look at the wood on the dock, he had recognized her instantly. Something about her just stuck to him. Perhaps it was her eyes. But by her hesitant and dazed expression, she did not recognize him. For some reason, he wanted to keep himself anonymous.

He was leading her down the hall, opening up doors and showing her what was inside. "This is the kitchen. I do not know what will need to be worked on here. I am going to hire an experienced cook, and then I will let you work with him to figure it all out." The room that he led her in was a bare box. Just the walls were painted with primer so that they would not rot so easily. "As you can see, this will be some hard work."

He walked her out of that room, walking behind her. Grey did not suit her as well as her two colored dress that she was wearing before. And her hair was much more attractive piled on top of her head, not pulled back into a workers bun. An image flashed in front of his eyes, her with her hair tumbling down around her face, and her giving him a devilish smile. Rory quickly cleared his throat and led her into the next room.

"This is one of the guest rooms, as is the two rooms after it on this side. They are all furnished with built in bunks, a dresser and sea chest. Although, none of the beds have any sheets or anything special. I do want paint on the walls, and curtains as well. Other stuff for each room. I want them to be special, but not delicate." She gave him a glance with her beautiful eyes, and set her bag down on the empty bed. She pulled out a pad of paper and started doing a rough sketch of the inside of the ship.

"This is so I won't get lost, and I will know where everything is." She said defensively, as Rory was looking at her with an amused expression. She was, he looked at the paper, by no means an artist, but he was more aware of her. When she worked, she stuck her tongue out the side of her mouth and alternated bit her lip. She finished her sketch quickly and they set off once again.

He showed her the dining room, were all of the guests were to eat, as the crew would eat in the kitchen. The dining room was just across the way of two of the bedrooms, and just as long. After that was the best guest room, which Ashton claimed.

"Don't let my friend push you around. Usually he is just teasing, so no harm done if you listen to him, and then do what you want. He probably won't care anyways." Rory looked her in the eye. She was being quiet, and whenever she looked at him, her gaze would drop slightly down to where his shirt was open and his chest showed through his shirt, then quickly look another way, blushing. Rory was quite certain she was embarrassed from admiring him, but he did not know if her show of spirit that night at the masquerade was an act, or if she really was like that. But whichever way, he still though she was adorable.

He then showed her the small cupboards and closets that would contain things such as buckets, mops and cleaning supplies, as well as the ones that would contain extra sheets and bathing soaps and things that a person would need on board an ocean voyage.

Finally he led her into what was to be his bedroom. It was at the very back of the ship, and quite large. The back wall, from about three feet to the top of the cabin was all checkered window glass, the panes alternating clear and sapphire blue. Ever since the night at the masquerade, Rory had changed his favorite color to the color of his mysterious Fairy's eyes. The bed was set below the window and attached to one wall. The room had a large built in closet, a large, broken table, a writing desk, also broken, and sea chest at the foot of the bed.

Miss Lowy, he really must find out her first name, walked to the center of the room and turned around slowly. Over all, the cabin was very nicely done. There was some minute carving on the planks of wood, just swirling designs along the top of the room, some dripping down. She walked over to the window, and touched one of the blue panes of glass.

"One of my good friends owns a stained glass shop. I have recently acquired a sort of craving for the color, and so I commissioned the windows done as you see. I think they turned out rather well, do you agree?" Rory asked, leaving his spot at the door way and walked slowly over to where she was standing. She turned around and looked up at him with her big eyes. He did not realize that he was standing so close to her.

Rory looked from her eyes to the colored glass and back. "My dear, the glass is the same exact color as your eyes. Sapphire blue. Amazing." Rory quickly remembered that he had said that her eyes were like sapphires. When he was kissing her. He dropped his gaze down to her lips. He was so tempted to just take a small kiss, after all, he had been thinking about her constantly for a week.

Rory tore his gaze away and strode over to the table. Back to business, before she guessed who he was. For some reason he did not want that yet. "As you can see, the table needs to be replaced, along with the writing desk. I would like this room to be done up in the same color blue as the window, and silver, I think that would be well. Would you agree?" Rory turned around and looked at her in her dove grey dress. He could imagine it silver, and she would look well in silver.

"Well, I can assure you that the blue would not be hard to find, but silver would be more difficult and expensive. Plus, I do not think that a silver color would be very comfortable to sleep on. Very pretty, yes, but they do have to use some actual silver when making cloth from it." Miss Lowy started scratching away on her pad of paper again, making and enlarged drawing of the room, and taking notes on what he would like.

Unfortunately, Rory was still thinking on how well she would look in silver when she stated bed sheets of silver. His imagination did not have to take a long time from going from dressed in silver to surrounded by silver, and dressed in nothing. Rory gulped and looked around wildly.

"Well... uh, yes. You seem to have everything under control. I will leave you at it." He turned to make a quick exit before he grabbed her and kissed her like he wanted to. A quick escape was called for.

"Wait! For the guest rooms, the ones besides your friends, I am to pick the colors and designs myself? Do you have any say in them?" Miss Lowy asked catching up with him to follow him down the hall.

"Yes! You may. I would prefer it if two were made up for ladies, and mine and my friends made more masculine. Now, I am sure that you will need time to work on it, so I must return to my own work." Rory kept walking at a brisk pace, not turning around to look at her, just heading for the stairway that would take him up to the deck.

"Very well, I will be working on the bedroom closest to the kitchen if you need me at all!" She called up after him. Rory cursed silently, Bedroom... close to the stair case... and his not exactly innocent thoughts of her...

Damn!


	12. Chapter 12

Sapphire looked at the plain room, and then glanced back at the door. She had made him mad at her! Or something of the sort. Otherwise, he would not have wanted to run away from her. She felt like an idiot, whenever she looked at him, a picture of his naked back came into view. When he had complimented her, oh, she had felt like the only woman in the world, and he the only man. Oh, heavens, she was just a wreak of nerves. Sapphire took a deep breath and started to work.

This room, designed for a woman, would be a cream and spring green. Good colors and the materials would not be hard to find. Besides the sea chest and the bed, a table would be in store, as well as some sort of sea vanity for a woman to place all of her materials. On one side of the wall there was a door, which led to a small room, Sapphire guessed it was the dress closet, and where the Ladies maid slept. Well, she would have to furnish a cot for the maid to sleep on.

After that room, was another woman's room. This room would be in a deep rose and pure white. Curtains could be made of white lace, and the furnishings would be the same, except there was no closet for clothes, so a wardrobe would have to be provided, leaving little room. Sapphire turned around the room, mentally placing each piece of furniture and their approximate width. It would be too small for a table, so the vanity would have to double.

The dining room was quite easy. Gold and Burgundy, with the seats of the chairs done up in gold and wallpaper burgundy. As the table and side table were already in place, all that needed to be bought were chairs, and she would have to ask the Lord Kendal how many he would want of each.

Next she looked at the kitchen. Until she had the cook to tell her what needed to be bought and what equipment he needed installed, she had no idea what was needed. True, ever since she and Azy had left the manor, Sapphire had learned to cook a bit. At Ouby's she cooked in Ouby's kitchen, but, when Sapphire knew for certain that the meat in the pies was not cat or dog, she preferred to buy pasties from street venders. Most were quite good, and she had become a regular customer at two of them. Anyways, Sapphire shook herself out of her thoughts, there would have to be a counter, stove, a table and chairs for the crew, and pots and pans at least.

The first of the men's bed chambers was going to be done up in a dark green with tiny bits of gold. Sapphire mentally sighed. She loved gold, and she hoped that Lord Kendall would agree, as both red and green looked so wonderful with it. A wardrobe and table, along with the sea chest would be all that was needed. Sapphire thought of some of the accessories that she had seen when she went to the parties. Some of the rooms had been gorgeous, and she thought that it might be fun to decorate a whole house. Though, possibly, she might go mad before it was finished.

After that bed room was the friend's room. Sapphire quickly took a quick sketch of it, as she had all the others, and left it at that. She did not want to anger her employer, so she just would have to wait until the friend came and she talked to him.

Sapphire slowly approached the last room, at the end of the hall. She was slightly dreading this. This room would be where the incredibly handsome man, no lord, she quickly amended herself, would be sleeping and spending his days in it. She could no longer think of him as her equal. Although she was once nobility like him, she was now a servant, far beneath his league. She could have a short affair with him, by society's standards, but nothing more.

Sapphire slowly turned the knob and pushed the door in. Right away her eyes drew to the Sapphire panes of glass. They were gorgeous. With the sun shining through them as they were now, the effect was stunning. The entire room filled up with little patches of blue on the walls and on the floor. Sapphire slowly did a double take of the room, seeing what would be needed. The table and writing desk defiantly needed to be replaced, and there should be a wardrobe. The bed needed all of its sheets, and there would need to be heavy curtains that would go across the entire window. Sapphire thought again how Lord Kendall had become agitated when she talked about what needed to be done with this room. What had she said?

Sapphire pushed it to the back of her mind, and looked once more. A large, luxurious rug needed to be put down on the bare wooden planks. In fact, all of the rooms could use one. She quickly scribbled down the fact and looked once more. There, off to the side, almost invisible, was another door. Sapphire quickly went over to it, and opened it up.

Inside was another medium sized room. Sapphire had no idea what the room was to be, as there were pieces of wood, sawdust, boxes, and working materials all over the room. Sapphire thought slowly, running her tongue over her lips. Would it be snooping if she went and looked what was inside those boxes? After all she did need to know what room it was, so that she could design accordingly. Making up her mind, she weaved her way amongst the materials and knelt at one of the large, wooden crates. Pulling back the top, she found large books! So this room was to be a library! Or a study, something of the sort.

On the large war ships, there was a room that all of the officers would retire to, to plot strategies and courses. Sapphire supposed that this would be the equivalent, but since it was a yacht, Lord Kendall had made the unnecessary map room into a library. Sapphire unconsciously kneeled in the sawdust and turned her eye to the room, and thought.

Along two of the walls, she now saw, were the beginnings of bookshelves. There were high windows going along those same walls, and the shelves came up right under them. Sapphire looked at the third wall, the wall not containing the door. A large desk would look perfect there, and a few very comfortable chairs right in the middle of the room would be lovely. Too bad it was a boat, for a fireplace would be perfect, but they would have to do without.

Sapphire spent quite a few minutes there, looking through the book collection that Lord Kendall had collected, before she sensed a prickling sensation on her back. Quickly she turned around and saw Lord Kendall leaning against the door frame.

"Oh!" Sapphire shot up, brushing off the sawdust, which had determined to cling to her skirts, no matter how hard she brushed at them. "I... I am sorry for intruding on your space, but you did say that you wanted all the rooms done over." Sapphire blushed, and just stood there.

Lord Kendall pushed himself off of the door frame, and walked over to her. "No harm done. I did say I wanted all of the rooms restored, so there are no hard feelings. What do you think of this room?"

"It is very pleasing, my Lord. I think that a desk would be perfect, over there," she indicated with a wave of her hand, "And a few comfortable chairs would be wonderful, right here, in the middle of the room. That way the sun would be able to reach them, and also the bookcase would be mere steps away."

Lord Kendall looked thoughtful. "Yes, that would be very well. Now, tell me what you think of my collection of books?" Lord Kendall looked at the previously well placed books amongst the crate.

"Oh no! I am so sorry!" Sapphire quickly knelt down again and tried to straighten the books out. Lord Kendall gave a small smile and knelt down right next to her.

"Let me help you." The quickly arranged the books back into an arrangement that would allow the top to fit back on. "You see, no harm done."

Sapphire smiled shyly up at him, only now realizing how close his face actually was to her own. She looked at his grey eyes, and for some reason, she felt as if she had seen them before. She bit her lip and furrowed her forehead, trying to remember.

Lord Kendall's eyes dropped down to her lips, his smile slowly sliding off of his face. He took a quick breath, and his eyes came back up to hers. Sapphire looked into his face, and saw that his eyes were dilated. They dropped back down to her lips, and Sapphires lips went completely dry. She quickly licked them, and Lord Kendall moved slightly, bringing his face closer to hers. Sapphire closed her eyes, and tilted her face up; completely mindless to the reasoning she had given herself just a short time ago. She held her face, waiting for his kiss.

She felt his warm breath on her lips and he was just about to kiss her, when a loud bang from directly above them shook the whole room. Sapphire eyes flew open and connected with his, just as shocked as she was, and much too close. He stood up and backed away, his eyes looking up to the ceiling, listening to the quite fluent curses coming from the workers.

"I uh..." Lord Kendall cleared his throat, "I shall see what mess they have made above deck, and then everyone will break for lunch" He valiantly put a smile onto his face, looked at her for a split second, and then strode out of the room.

Sapphire still knelt where she had almost been kissed. She slowly stood up and brushed off as much sawdust as she could. What the devil had she been thinking!


	13. Chapter 13

Rory leaned braced his arms against the side of the boat, gripping the railing so hard his knuckles went white. Damn it! What was he thinking! He told himself that he was going to stay away from her, and then he almost kissed her. Thank god for the frayed rope that he had not had time to replace. When the carpenters had put a large piece of wood on it to hoist it up to be a cross beam, it broke. Nothing was hurt besides the rope, and it had stopped it from kissing her, so everything was fine. Just wonderful. Rory ground his teeth together. He was leaving.

Rory called lunch for all of the workers and drove his gig home through the midday traffic. Maybe he just needed time to cool his thoughts. As Rory strode through the door that was held open by his butler, Fomain, he dropped off his coat and hat. Fomain had worked with his family for... well ever since Rory had been old enough to put glue on his wig and then run screaming away from him. Rory suppressed a quick smile.

"I will be working on my accounts. Do not disturb me unless it is urgent." Rory started striding up the stairs, stopped, and then made a quick decision. "I would like a tray brought up to the library around six. I shall be dinning out at my club tonight." A night drinking with his friends would do him some good.

"Very good My Lord," Fomain intoned gravely, putting away his clothing, then silently fading back into the woodwork. Fomain was an excellent butler, silent, discrete, but loyal.

Rory strode into his study and paced around a bit. He needed to do something to occupy his mind. Not read... ah, his business accounts needed to be put in order. Usually Rory did the accounts at the end of the week, but the middle of the week would be fine, especially since he had been spending so much on The Fairy, fixing the boat up to be perfect. He collected his account books from the shelf, walked across the rich carpet of gold and blue, and sat down at his desk. Looked at his books, wrote a little, and then looked at the clock. About four more hours before he could go to his club.

Rory spent the next three hours and fifty minutes looking at the clock, scribbling in the account books, looking out the window, sipping tea, and then repeating the whole exercise over again. After that time, he could not stand to be in his spacious library anymore, and so strode up to his room on the third floor and changed into evening clothes. Then he ordered his carriage around, and walked down to the front door.

Fomain appeared, holding his greatcoat and his hat. "Have a nice evening My Lord," He silently disappeared again. Rory shook his head at the marvels of servants, and then drove himself to his favorite club.

Rory tossed his reigns to a porter, and strode through the heavy entrance doors, giving his coat and hat back to another porter. Inside the club were many men, some reading the day's paper, eating, talking with fellow members, drinking glasses of wine or brandy, and playing cards. The main room was large, with tables, chairs, and booths on one side for the gentlemen to eat, card tables occupying the middle of the room, and on the other side large, leather chairs in front of the fireplace for men to sit comfortably. There were smaller, private rooms connected to the main room, for when some gentlemen needed to discuss secret things, and when some card games needed to be conducted without the gawking gaze of young men, trying to ape the elders.

Rory strode into the room with a confidence that comes with knowing a place well. He paused by the entrance and looked around. Ashton usually ate his meals here, as he did not have a very good chef at the rooms he was renting. Sure enough, Ashton was sitting at a booth, just starting to eat the beginnings of a chicken. Ashton looked up, smiled, and waved him over.

"Well, did your interior decorate show up today?" Ashton asked with a smug grin as Rory slid into the seat opposite him. Rory gave him a sharp glance then ordered the same as Ashton was having to the young waiter. Rory did not like to have people talking about him, and, whenever possible, the best way to avoid that was to not talk in front of servants.

After the man left, Rory leaned back in the seat and glared at his friend, who was giving him an innocent look. Innocent looks do not work very well when a person was trying not to laugh. "Okay Ashton, how did you do it?"

"Oh," Ashton finally did laugh, "You will have to thank Alicia for that. When I followed her outside the night of the masquerade, she sort of gave the name of the shop where she was working. Madame Oubliettes. I was escorting Alicia shopping, and she dragged me into her dress shop. Oh man, what coincidences. I actually ran into her the day of the masquerade, and only put two and two together while I was there. I talked to Madame Oubliette, and she was all willing to throw her into your path, as, she said Miss Lowy was just as distracted and moony as you were! It was quite easy to arrange for her to work on your boat!" Ashton picked up his glass of port and took a healthy swallow. "Now that you have found her, I wish you all the luck!"

Rory sat there, stunned. He knew that Ashton had planned, somehow, Miss Lowy's work on the boat, but the whole explanation was quite amazing. The truly amazing thing, though, was that Miss Lowy was just as distracted as he was! She was not indifferent to him!

Just then the waiter came up with Rory's dinner, and someone in the booth behind them got up to pay his bill. Once it was all quiet, Ashton leaned over to him. "And, get this; she is not just a servant. She was once a Lady! I don't know who, for Ouby, Madame Oubliette, would not tell me who she was. She said that it was not her secret to tell. Now, instead of being moody, you can go and woo the girl, and then marry her. I know that normally you would just bed a servant, but she is no servant, and she has got you so wrapped up that I don't think that it would be best if you married her, even if she was a servant. I know it would cause a scandal, but who cares! You could go traveling like you've always wanted to!"

Rory stared down at his meal, picking at it, for he was not very hungry anymore, his brain all confused and in a jumble. Miss Lowy was a Lady, not a servant. Unfortunately, if Rory got his way, he would not be able to bed her like he wanted to do until after they were married. Rory set his jaw and made up his mind. He would win her over. She had shown that she was not indifferent to him; indeed she had wanted to kiss him as much as he had wanted to kiss her.

"Well, since I have helped so much, I think that on your maiden voyage for your leaky vessel, I should be among the party to go along with you, and I do believe that Alicia would enjoy the expedition too. So, as best friend, I am inviting us along!"

Rory laughed and toasted his friend with his own glass of port. "Oh, that would be just fine, but you are not getting away that easily. I am going to have to teach you how to sail, for the crew is small, and every man will have to pull his weight. Alicia is a wonderful girl, and will have a grand time of it."

Just then Lord Greythorpe came up to them. He was a tallish man, with dark hair and dark eyes. He had an air of mystery around him which added to his appeal. Rory did not trust him very much, but he could be charming, and had done nothing that would make anyone suspicious of him. Really he was an all together nice man, and Rory and Ashton had gone to school with him. "So, you are planning your maiden voyage for your ship already? Is it that close to being done?" Greythorpe dropped down next to Ashton and waved himself a glass of port. "I wish to congratulate you. A swift, sure job!"

"Yes, it will be finished by the end of the week I believe." The three of them chatted for a while, and then Greythorpe challenged them to a game of cards.

Rory was not an expert player, but he knew his chances and knew when he had a good probability to win, and when to fold. However, he seemed to have pretty good luck, and had a small pile of chips in front of him by the end of the hour. Greythorpe was doing well, but Ashton dropped out quickly, his fortune not being as big as the two now playing against each other.

"Well, Kendall, would you like to play for a fun stakes? How about we bet this hand on a two way ticket on board your new boat for two? I know how to sail, and have not been out in a while. My sister loves the ocean as well, and she would love to go on the first voyage of your boat. If you win, then I will treat you out to a weekend at one of the boxing matches that is coming up in two weeks. Very good people starting. What do you say?" Greythorpe asked, sitting back in his chair with a smile on his face.

Rory thought it over quickly. He did like a good boxing match, and he did have two cabins. Alicia would like the company, and Greythorpe knew how to sail and was a decent person. "Deal." He said, and started to pass out the cards.

Greythorpe was a good player, but he worked incredibly hard at the game. He must really want to go on The Fairy. Ah, well, if he wants to go that bad, then no problem. Rory stopped playing so hard, and did not concentrate so much on the cards. So the outcome was that Greythorpe and his sister were to come with him on the cruise.

"Well gentlemen, I will send out information to you soon with the arrangements for our voyage soon. It will be quite fun, I believe," Rory said, shaking their hands. "I will see you soon!" With that he collected his winnings, paid his bill, and went home feeling satisfied. He would have to think of a strategy to win over Miss Lowy. Rory did not really even think about the night except that he did believe that a cruise would be fun.


	14. Chapter 14

Sapphire did not see Lord Kendall for two days; somehow their paths did not cross. True, she was being extra careful to not be caught with him, and he seemed equally as hesitant to be in her company. She pulled a face at the linens she was folding. She must have given him a disgust of her, she all but throwing herself at him that day in the library. Sapphire closed the closet door a bit more forcefully than was strictly necessary.

All of the bedrooms had been finished. A lot had been accomplished in just three days, and Sapphire felt proud of herself. The furniture in the bedrooms matched the colors, there were enough new sheets for each room to be slept in and the sheets changed for four days, the dining room had a beautiful set of eight gold and burgundy chairs, and the library was all set up for whoever wanted to use it.

Her greatest measure of success was the kitchen though. Lord Kendall had hired a great big man, with the name of Kalin McKlairn. He had a bluff Irish accent, a large belly, and, rumor had it, magical hands when it came to working food in a galley. He had taken to Sapphire, and she to him. With his help, she had updated the plain box of a kitchen into a cookers paradise.

A modern stove sat to the right to a long counter. At the other end of the counter was the ice box, so that the stove would not heat it up. To the left of the stove was a long, seemingly bottomless, box of coal for fuel. There was an island with shelves underneath the counter top, filled with all sorts of devices. The spices, knives, pots and pans, whisks, spoons, and also the crews plates, cups and silverware where stashed underneath the islands counter tops.

The captains and guests plates, silverware, and cups were stored in a special side cabinet. There were also serving dishes, utensils, and all manors of things the nobility need to have when they eat meals. Sapphire could not believe that she used to spend so much of her time worrying about things that no longer seemed important, now that she was a servant.

Sapphire made her way to the kitchen, hoping that Kalin was going to be there. He was.

"Ah lassie! I see you are finishing up the final touches. You did a wonderful job! Ach, I absolutely love this kitchen. Thank the High and Mighty for having rich lords to give us what we need!" Kalin was fussing with the equipment stashed everywhere, his bright red thatch of hair waving wildly at his large gestures. He was a handsome man of about Ouby's age, and he did seem like an uncle, despite that she had known him only two days.

"Oh, Kalin, I would not been able to do it without your knowledge of what is supposed to be in a kitchen on a boat. But everyone seems so obliging once they find out that you are working for a Lord." Sapphire rolled her eyes. "It doesn't matter that some Lords and Ladies will wait forever before paying their bills, just as long as they get their goods out there for other wealthy people to see. Sometimes I hate the system we live in!"

"Aye, lass, but it is what it is. So coast with it. I always use names when I am working. I would not have been able to stock up the food supply so quickly or with such quality food if I had not used Lord Kendall's name." Kalin moved over to the icebox and lifted the lid. "Just look at this, it looks so very good! Too bad I must serve the best of the food to the Lord and his guests."

Sapphire sat up quickly at the mention of Kalin stocking up the ship. "What? There is a cruise to be started soon? Why was I not informed? Oh no! There is still so much to be done! Why, I have not had time to put a cot in the ladies dressing room! I do not have the sanitation supplies for people to use on a cruise. The fresh water tank needs to be filled up, and the barrels stocked!" Sapphire quickly whipped out her pad of paper and started scribbling notes onto it.

"Easy lass! I am sure that water is not part of your concern! Why, it should be mine!" When Sapphire opened her mouth to protest, Kalin raised his large hand to silence her. "Now, since I see you are all in a tizzy from it, I will go and do it right now. Do not worry about the rest. It does not seem like a lot, and you do have tomorrow to work on it. Now, I suggest you go home and take a nice rest, storing yourself up with energy for tomorrow. Now scat, out of my kitchen!" Kalin made sure she got into the hall, up the stairs and onto deck, before he veered off to see to the water.

Sapphire went over to the side of the boat, grabbed up her bag of materials, considerably lighter than it was the first day, and started down the side. She slowly but efficiently climbed down, and hopped onto the dock, turned around and met face to face with the Lord.

"Lord Kendall!" Sapphire did not know what to say, her cheeks burning furiously. She had been having dreams about him kissing her, but he and the Pirate got all mixed up in them. She did not know why, maybe because the Pirate was her first kiss, and Lord Kendall had almost kissed her, but she was still embarrassed by them. She peeped a look back up at him.

His grey eyes were unreadable, but he still had a charm to him, even when his face looked like it was set in marble, no expression rendering. Today he wore the complete gentleman's outfit; Sapphire felt a pang of something like loss, or disappointment. His hair was tamed into the hair style a la Brute and a snowy white cravat rested where his shirt had been open to reveal his chest.

He raised his eyebrow and started to speak, "Miss Lowy, I have arranged a maiden voyage for The Fairy in two days’ time. I would like everything to be ready about two o-clock tomorrow; as I will be having my guests come aboard at that time. We will depart tomorrow morning." Here he paused and looked a little concerned for about a second, before he smoothed his face over again. "I would like to offer you a job aboard. You would serve as a maid to all of us aboard, and would have a pretty busy schedule, but not a hard one. You would be required to clean the bedrooms, serve the food, and any other... things that need attention. What do you say?" He stood there, looking impassive, but this time his eyes looked almost pleading. For her to say yes?

Sapphire thought through the proposition quickly. She liked Kalin, and Ashton, as he insisted she call him, and Lord Kendall was intriguing. It would not be a hard job, and right now Ouby's shop was winding down, as it was getting very hot, and most of the nobility were retiring to their country houses, away from the heat of the city. This would provide a good pay, and she would be back on sea. Sapphires face split into a wide smile.

"I would love to! It is, as you say, not a very hard job, but I am well versed in my way around a vessel, and can be of assistance to anyone who needs it." She curtsied to him, and he bowed, and she walked away, a large smile on her face and a bounce to her step. Just wait until she told Azy, she would be thrilled, and jealous!

Rory let out a breath or relief. She said yes! It had been so hard for him to stay away from his little fairy, but Ashton had told him that when she was working with him, she had been jumpy and a little dazed. Rory did not want her scared of him, so he had stayed away.

However, he had known that the only way to get close to her was if she had come on this trip with him. He, feeling a little guilty, had decided to bring along a large collection of books, and then have her categorize them and shelve them accordingly. This way, she would spend part of the time in the library, were the only way out was through his room. Yes, Rory amended silently, he wanted to seduce her, but not to that extent. She needed to trust him, and he had to reveal who he was sooner or later.

Well, this was going to be perfect. Nothing like living on a small boat for a while to create an air of intimacy.


	15. Chapter 15

Sapphire awoke the next day with butterflies zooming around in her stomach. Happy butterflies, she was going to spend a while out at sea, on a beautiful, luxurious boat. Then the evil, worried butterflies chased the others out. She was going to be spending a while on a small boat out at sea with an incredibly sexy Lord, who she will want, but can never have. Damn!

Sapphire slowly and quietly got out of bed, trying not to wake up Azy. Last night the two of them had spent a long time talking and working over what was going to happen while Sapphire was gone. True to her prediction, Azy was excited that Sapphire got to go on the boat, but she was also jealous, wanting to go as well.

Azy had been doing really well with her nightmares. Her last one was the night of the masquerade, and Sapphire thought it might be because she was not there with her. Sapphire frowned as she dressed, the rest of her belongings packed and ready to go, and collected her luggage. Hopefully she was wrong, for she didn't want Azy to have nightmares every night she was gone.

Sapphire took all her luggage out to the front room, then went back to Ouby's office. As she suspected, Ouby was up, working.

"Well, I see that you are all ready to go! Lord Kendall has been so kind as to order his carriage around, to pick you up, and to take you to your few remaining shops. He has been very generous to you." Ouby stood up and walked over to Sapphire, her elegant dress swishing around her legs. "I know that you are cautious about leaving Azy, but don't worry. She might be a young 12 year old, but she will grow up, and out of the nightmares. I also have noticed your fair share of the nightmares, although you don't end up crying. I have seen you were you appear to not have slept in days. Try to get past those. Who knows? Maybe you will find what you are looking for on this trip!"

Ouby then handed Sapphire a box. "Open it, child!" Ouby commanded with a grin. Sapphire peeled away the top, and parted the tissue paper covering it. Inside was a gorgeous blue silk dress. It was the same color as her eyes, and, unknowing to Ouby, made of the exact same material as the bed linins that Sapphire had made up for Lord Kendall. But it was gorgeous.

"Oh, Ouby. I... I don't know what to say! It is so beautiful, but it would only stay in my bag. I am a maid for this cruise, not a guest!" Sapphire looked at the dress longingly, and slowly wrapped it up in the tissue paper again.

"I know, but you never know when having a presentable dress will come in handy. Take it with you." Ouby kissed Sapphire on the forehead, "And good luck on your journey!"

Sapphire stood on the deck of The Fairy, her hands folded primly in front of her, her eyes down cast. Her hair was pulled back into a sever bun, her dress was a mellow grey. She looked exactly like a servant should, in a well-run house. However, this was going to be a well-run boat, and she was still going to be the perfect maid. Even if she was on a small boat with a really handsome employer.

She had already picked up the rest of the materials needed for the voyage, packed herself away in the small ladies maid room, and given the boat a thorough cleaning. Thank god Kalin was going to be aboard. Even a maid did have to have someone to talk to.

Now, she was waiting alongside Kalin and the rest of the crew, waiting for the guests and Lord Kendall to come on board. Their luggage had been arriving for almost half an hour, and once they were all aboard, she was to unpack it all. Her first day aboard was probably going to be her hardest.

A loud clamor started up, voices of half a dozen people talking and walking. Sapphire straightened up, but still kept her eyes down. Lord Kendall would not even speak to her directly if there were other Lords or Ladies around. Sapphire glowered. The thought should not make a wince of sorrow go through her.

Lord Kendall came aboard, climbing up the side. He really was in good shape, and dressed up to the nines. His bottle green coat, fitted loosely over his shoulders, loose enough for him to move, but stilled showed off his sailor muscles. He had biscuit colored breeches that were again, not too tight, but still, Sapphire blushed and looked away, enough to show his wonderful thighs.

Ashton climbed up next, wearing a navy blue jacket and grey breeches. They were loose, made for comfort. "Hold on there, we will lift you two up with the swing!" Ashton said down over the side. Sapphire knew there were two ladies who were coming aboard, so the swing must be intended for them.

Lord Kendall and Ashton pulled up on the rope and swung a lady in a peach colored dress on. She had pretty blond ringlets framing a delicate oval face. Her brown eyes sparkled at the excitement of swinging way above the deck and settling down with a soft thump. She looked exactly like a country rose, only decked out in the latest fashions.

"Oh, Rory, Ashton, that was so much fun! It is almost like the swing back home, only if you fall; there is water instead of grass!" She laughed and climbed out of the swing and smoothed down her skirts. Then she leaned against the railing and watched the second lady swing onto the deck.

This woman had a mature beauty. She had perfectly groomed dark hair, pulled back into a tight, but attractive twist. Her eyes were a hard, glittery hazel. Her lips were full and red, her cheek bones high and her face cut. She did not seem like a nice woman, and Sapphire felt a sinking feeling in her stomach. This lady, whoever she was, was not going to make her life easy. She was just the sort of woman to not care about a servant at all.

As the two gentlemen gently settled her on the deck, she stepped out of the swing with a shiver. "I don't know how you could stand such a device! It is so dangerous feeling!" At this pronouncement, she grabbed Lord Kendall's, Rory's arm, and gazed up at him. "Thankfully I had two such strong gentlemen to convey me safely." She gave him a flirtatious smile and gazed up at him admiringly.

Sapphire quickly dropped her gaze. _It doesn't matter. I am just a servant. It doesn't matter._ Finally over the side came the remaining person. He was a tall, dark man, and the resemblance between him and the dark haired lady was unmistakable. Obviously they were brother and sister. The party headed over towards them, and Sapphire dropped her eyes respectfully again.

Lord Kendall spoke to them all. "I am aware that some of you know Lord Ashton, and this is his niece, Alicia Devonshire." So the pretty blond was Ashton's niece, but she was only a few years younger. Sapphire was confused, but did not show it. "This Gentleman is Lord Greythorpe, and his sister Renee Greythorpe. They will be our guests, and are to be treated with respect." Rory spoke more to the sailors, as they were much more coarse, and prone to mischief.

Next Lord Kendall introduced her and Kalin. "This woman here, Miss Lowy, is to be the maid for the voyage. She is everyone's maid, so try not to overburden her too much!" Sapphire made a little curtsy, and looked at them directly, as she was now being addressed personally. Ashton had an impish smile on his face, and his niece wore almost the exact same one, only more feminine. Renee wore a cool, disinterested mask, but Lord Greythorpe was looking her up and down, a smirk underneath his polite smile. She quickly dropped her gaze again.

"And this is our cook, Kalin McKlairn." Kalin did a sort of bow, as it was a little hard for such a stocky man to bow very well.

"Ach, no need to get all formal with me! Just call me Kalin. I shall make whatever dish any of you desire, as long as I have all the ingredients. Right, I'll stop my chatter, and go back down to my kitchen, where I will be working on tea," Kalin made his speech in his lovely brogue, and then ambled down the stairs.

Rory, Lord Kendall, Sapphire quickly amended herself, gave a dismissive nod to the crew but asked her to stay. "Would you please check with all of the guests that all of their belongings are aboard? Once that is done, come see me, and we will cast off."

Then, he strode away pulling Ashton along with him, and left down the stairs. Sapphire turned back to the three people, one who was nice, and two who made her uncomfortable.

"If you would please follow me, I will show you to your rooms." Sapphire turned and headed below, mentally sighing at the work she was going to have to do.


	16. Chapter 16

Sapphire lead the group down the hall, and stopped off at the first door. She turned around and looked and Lady Renee. "I was told to put your luggage in here. I hope that it is satisfactory. I will be in soon to start unpacking your bags." Sapphire turned back around and opened the door. Lady Renee breezed past her, striding into the bedroom as if she owned the place. She arched one of her dark eyebrows and looked around the room.

"Yes, well, it's quite... cozy... isn't it" Lady Renee said with a slight sneer. She walked over to the sea chest and looked inside, checked the bottles on the vanity, and opened up the door to the dress closet. "I see my things have been delivered here. Very good. Once you return, you will put fresh water in the basin. Very well, you may go." Lady Renee said all of this without looking at Sapphire, which she did not really mind, and it was how a Lady treated a servant.

Sapphire bowed herself out, and quietly shut the door. The last glimpse she saw of Lady Renee was of her checking to see if there was any dust on the table and the edges of the vanity mirror. Sapphire let herself have a small smile, as she had just dusted the entire room, and was not going to find a single piece of dust.

Sapphire walked the short way to the other ladies room, and turned around to the friendly blond. "Lady Alicia, this will be your room. I hope that it is not troublesome if you will have to wait until I am finished with Lady Renee?" Sapphire opened the door to reveal the Rose and white room, Sapphires favorite, other than the master cabin. Lady Alicia fairly danced into the room, looking like a child that had gotten a present.

"Oh, this room is beautiful! Ashton told me that you were to one to do all of the decorating. I must say you have excellent taste. Oh, and don't worry about my things, I understand that you will have to be shared by all of us." Alicia, for it was so hard to think of this lovely woman with a Lady tacked onto the front of it, started to peer into all of the little bottles on the vanity, a little like Lady Renee had done. Only, Alicia's look was one of excitement and of wonder. Sapphire closed her door with a smile.

Then, she got really quiet. Lord Greythorpe was the only one left, looking at her with a glint in his eye. The glint could be any number of things, but Sapphire did not want to find out what it truly meant. She turned away quickly and walked briskly down the hall towards the only other guest bedroom not claimed.

Walking down the hall, Sapphire could feel his gaze boring into the back of her head. For some reason, this man made her very uncomfortable, and she wanted to get as far away from him as possible. Sapphire opened the door for him, bobbed a curtsy and spoke, "This is your room. I will be back shortly to unpack for you. Now, I have to attend to Lady Renee." Sapphire turned to make her escape, but was stopped by a hand on her shoulder.

"My sister can wait for a few moments. You would not allow me to let to not compliment you on this wonderful room." He took a leisurely look at the room made up in green with accents of gold. "I swear, Miss Lowy, you are a mind reader. I absolutely love gold. It reminds me of wealth." He gave a low laugh here, "And I do love being rich." He gazed at her with an amused and slightly sardonic smile flitting about his face.

Sapphire quickly curtsied and walked down the hall, realized who she was headed towards, and slowed down. She came to a slow stop at the door, and knocked softly. "Come in," Lady Renee said in an imperialist voice. Sapphire slowly opened the door and stepped inside.

Lady Renee was seated in the chair before the vanity, fiddling around with her cosmetics, which she had apparently set up all by herself. _Amazing, she actually did something without help. She couldn't even walk without the arm support of a man!_ Sapphire thought with a twist of humor. It was true, Rory holding her arm, and then her brother.

"Just unpack my clothing, and don't wrinkle them! I heard that you used to work at a dressers, so you should know how to handle clothing. I expect you will be sleeping in with all of my jewelry. If I find even a hat pin missing, you will be in so much trouble. Now, in the morning, I expect to wake up with a cup of cocoa, and toast. You will wake me up no earlier than 11:00. I expect for you to dress me, and do my hair, attractively! You, no doubt, have no idea how to get on as a ladies maid." Lady Renee continued to rattle things off, but by this time Sapphire had tuned her out.

Sapphire went into the adjourning room where she was going to be sleeping for however long this voyage was going to be. When Sapphire had bought the bed, she had been slightly indulgent. She had gone back to the store where she had bought the other feather beds for the bedrooms. When she had gone back, the automatically gave her the same one. She could have protested, but Sapphire had not slept on a feather bed in two years, and she secretly craved the comfort.

Sapphire opened the suitcase and started to pull out the dresses. They were obviously well made, but some of the colors and cuts would not be flattering on the woman who was still rattling on about how she did not think Sapphire was going to be good enough. Too bad Sapphire had never had a ladies maid, so had done all of her hair herself.

Once all of the dresses where hung up, Sapphire pulled out all of the little accessories that Lady Renee would need, and took them over to the sea chest at the foot of the bed. Then, Sapphire took out all of the jewels and put them in slots specially made on the vanity. She sure did have a lot of jewels for just a few days on a boat. It was not as if they were going to be having a ball or something. Sapphire suspected that Lady Renee was husband hunting. There were two eligible bachelors, both, well one extremely good looking, and the other not quite so, but was in no way ugly. They were, also and obligingly, rich. And from what her brother had said, it seemed that the family really likes money.

Lady Renee grabbed her wrist as Sapphire was about to go and get water for her to wash in. "I don't very much like when servants are pretty. Even more so when their employers look at them too long. As long as I am here I want utmost attention from Rory. I know that he may not want me, but that is going to change, if I have anything to do with it." Lady Renee leaned back in her chair in a negligent pose and looked her up and down. "Although, if you are dressed like that, then I shouldn't have anything to worry about. And, after all, you're just a servant. Now, go get my water. Come back later, I need to change for dinner." She turned back around and started primping in front of the mirror again.

Sapphire grabbed the basin, and practically ran out into the hallway, shut the door and leaned against the wall, taking deep breaths. She was... angry? Hurt? Resigned? All of the things she said were true, well the part about her just being a servant. But her actually telling her to stay away from Rory, that was crazy.

"Are you okay?" Sapphire jumped and snapped her eyes open as a hand was laid on her shoulder. She looked up into Rory's, _Lord Kendall's,_ grey eyes. He looked down at her with concern. Sapphire did not see any admiration in his eyes. Maybe the library was because there were no other women on board or around? Yes, that was probably it. Womanizer!

"I... I am fine. I have to go. Thank you," Sapphire bobbed a curtsy and then strode down the hall towards the kitchen. She was such an idiot. Of course, she was a servant. Rory did not actually have any feelings for her. She would just be a diversion. That was it. Still, Sapphire could not help but think what it would have been like if she had met him when she was still a lady. How could things have turned out then?


	17. Chapter 17

Sapphire had easily retrieved the water and looked out the hall, making sure that Rory was no longer there. Once she saw the coast was clear, she returned to Lady Renee's room, where Lady Renee was lounging on the bed, reading a Gothic Romance.

Sapphire rolled her eyes as she exited the room. What bad taste. Those books were insane. Ghosts, the heroine crying almost nonstop. Crazy. Sapphire taped quietly on Alicia's door, and walked in when she received an answer.

Alicia jumped up from the bed where she was leafing through a fashion magazine. "Oh, Miss Lowy, I am so glad to see you again. I was so shocked, in a good way, to see you. I don't know how Rory talked you into taking the position, but you were so nice to me." Alicia gave her a huge smile. "I was wondering, though, if I could call you by your first name? I don't like formalities, they are so cumbersome. Please?"

Sapphire gave a quick laugh. Alicia did wonderful puppy eyes, like Ashton did. "No wonder you two are related, perfect pleading skills. Very well, my name is unusual, so no teasing. It's Sapphire."

Alicia's eyes went wider. "Sapphire! Why, that is gorgeous! I love it. I wish my name were something more... exotic. Alicia, the English Rose," Here she wrinkled up her face, indicating her dislike for the title. "Foolish men are so unoriginal! Although, it is very flattering that they would like to give me a title."

Sapphire moved over to the bags, and opened up the wardrobe. Alicia got up off of the bed and went over to help. Sapphire raised an eyebrow, but Alicia pulled out a dress, shook it out, and hung it up. Sapphire mentally laughed, and started to work as well. Alicia was full of surprises.

The outfits that Alicia had were much more flattering. The cuts and colors worked with Alicia's light coloring and turned her into the English Rose that she was dubbed. Sapphire saw the lilac purple that she had assisted Alicia fitting and buying. Sapphire, once done with the dresses, took out the bandboxes, and then pulled out the hat that Alicia had bought the dress to match. Yes, Alicia had very good taste.

While the two were putting away the clothing, Alicia chattered on, telling Sapphire how she was Ashton's niece. "He and Rory used to tease me so much! I was always a delicate child, but I was convinced that I could do anything that they could. I would get myself into the worst scrapes, and then those two hellions would rush over to my side, and cosset me. Most likely they did not want me to tell my mother what they were doing. Oh, yes, we had some fun times." Alicia told her story with animation, and obvious affection for the two. However, she did not seem to view Rory in any other light than that of a brother.

"When the holidays came around, Rory would always come over. Neither of his parents were alive, they both died when he was seven. His guardian shipped him off to school that year. My grandpa, Ashton's father, had decided that it was time for Ashton to go to school as well. They were both so young, and both a not quite emotionally ready, and I think that was why they are such good friends. They bonded together really well."

By this time, Sapphire had finished, and Alicia let her continue with the promise of more time later to talk. Sapphire did not know if that was going to be today, but she was looking forward to it. If Sapphire was not a servant, Sapphire thought that they could have been a wonderful friend. But servants do not make friends with their betters.

Sapphire went down to the next doorway, Lord Greythorpe. She planned to get this unpacking with over as soon as possible. The man just gave her the jitters. Sapphire knocked on the door lightly and then slipped in. She bobbed a curtsey to the man who was sitting at the small table with papers piled around him. He was very distracted, focusing on the papers with a furrow in his brow.

"Ah, yes, Miss Lowy. Please, just unpack my clothing. When will the boat be launched?" He took a sip of the port from the decanter that was in all of the men's rooms. Sapphire did not approve of him drinking such spirits so early in the day. She could have fetched tea for him. She was the maid after all.

Sapphire went over to the bags and unpacked those into the wardrobe. The table was placed next to the wardrobe, so Sapphire was given tantalizing glimpses of words that were just far enough away, it was impossible to make them out. One of Sapphires faults, being too curious.

Lord Greythorpe was obviously distressed by the paper, for he was progressively getting more and more temperamental, and drinking more and more. If he continued at this rate, he was going to pass out, and the sun had not even set. He kept muttering something. It sounded like "wealth" and then there was also "kids". When Sapphire closed the wardrobe door, he jerked, and looked at her startled.

"Wha... Whats you doing here? What time is dinner?" He faded off looking confused and angry. Sapphire was more than a little freaked out. He was being strange, and Sapphire slowly started for the door.

"I finished packing your clothes. Dinner time has yet to be announced. I will inform you as soon as possible. Good day, my lord." Sapphire slipped out into the hall and hurried into Ashton's room. She knew that he was not there, as he was still with Rory.

Sapphire easily unpacked Ashton's clothing. Although he acted like a dandy for fun, he was not at all. He tended more towards the loose fitting and comfortable, instead of the well made. His clothing was, therefore, easier to attend too.

Just as Sapphire was putting away the bags, she heard a whistling from above deck. They must be getting ready to depart! Oh... Sapphire quickly closed the door and ran down the hall and up on deck. She headed for the rail, and stayed out of the crew members way, excited to be going out on the open ocean, were she had not been for a long time.

The day was perfect, almost as if the gods had parted the clouds, and set a nice brisk breeze. The sun was shining, and the breeze stopped it from being too warm. On land, today would be unbearably hot, but for the people on The Fairy, things were looking very good.

Sapphire leaned against the railing, watching the water and the smaller and large boats go past, waving at the children who were fishing on the dock, and gazing in awe at the party barges as they were making their way towards the mouth of the harbor.

The crew were up amongst the rigging, letting out sails, and pulling on lines. Alicia, Ashton, and Lady Renee were up at the bow of the boat, taking in the sunshine. Or, Alicia and Ashton were taking in the sunshine. Lady Renee had a frilly parasol to protect her delicate skin from the harsh sun. The two relatives seemed to have a marvelous time, looking at all of the scenery passing by. Lady Renee was sitting in a chair, and so could not see much of what was happening. She looked bored.

And at the helm was Rory. He had changed out of his restrictive gentleman's clothing and changed into a loose grey shirt, and black pants. He looked carefree and at ease, expertly guiding the ship amongst the other boats. His hair flew around in the wind, and he had a boyish grin across his face. Sapphire smiled at the image. She had no doubt that he was going to enjoy himself immensely on this trip.

***

Rory moved the boat a fraction to the port side, allowing enough room for a cutter to go past him, heading in. He looked over to where Alicia and Ashton where making jokes, and teasing each other. Then he looked at the seated Lady Renee. He had had no doubt in his mind that Lord Greythorpe had wrangled the invitation out of him in hopes that Lady Renee would attract him. Apparently Rory wasn't the only one to think that a boat ride would create an air of intimacy.

Rory looked over to where Miss Lowy was looking around her in excitement. "Sapphire," Rory whispered, tasting the name. He had done a little snooping when Sapphire had gone into Alicia's room. The door had not been closed completely, and he was only a man after all. Besides, he had been worried about her. When he had found her leaning against the wall, he had though something terrible had happened to her. That Lady Renee had done something. He was still not convinced that she had not done something, but Sapphire seemed to not heed it.

Rory thought about the seven crates of books lying in the library. He was going to give her the task of arranging them tomorrow. Of course, he was going to be nearby to help her. He was, after all, a gentleman enough to help a lady. But he was not attracted to her as a lady. She was very much a woman.

Rory shifted uncomfortably.


	18. Chapter 18

Sapphire was in the kitchen, waiting for Kalin to give her the soups for the table. After the boat had launched, she had had to deal with a drunken Greythorpe, who, before having passed out, had locked his papers away somewhere. Sapphire had done a quick run through of the room, but had not found anything. Yes, she knew that it was not the most spectacular behavior, but everyone said that you cannot trust your servants. Well, that, and that the servants know everything that happens.

She had had to strip off Lord Greythorpe's jacket, cravat, waistcoat, and boots. Then she had to lay him out on the bed. She could have called on of the other men, but Ashton was with Alicia and Lady Renee, teaching them how to play canasta, and she did not particularly want to confront Rory.

Lord Greythorpe was no small man, and he was a dead weight passed out. He mumbled inaudibly under his breath whenever she had jerked him a little harder than he apparently liked, and his breath smelled of the port he had consumed. After that task was done, she had taken the port bottle back to the galley, and emptied most of it. Unless he went to get the port himself, the cup that she gave him was all he was going to get. Sapphire did not want to have to do that very often.

Kalin very carefully put into her hands two very hot bowls of soup, and ushered her through the door that lead to the dining room. Sapphire had installed a swinging door, so that people who were carrying food or dishes back and forth would be able to get through easily. And by people, she meant herself.

The conversation in the room was light and breezy. Subjects such as the weather, the health of others, and the latest gossip were the usual topics for any dinner party, and this was no exception. As Rory was the host, the first bowl was served to him. He was at the head of the table, with Alicia on his left, and Lady Renee on his right. The table was uneven, there being one more man than woman. Ashton sat next to Lady Renee, and Lord Greythorpe, apparently having woke up, sat next to Alicia.

As Sapphire walked around to the head of the table, she felt eyes on her. The conversations were still going on around her, but someone was watching her. She took a quick glance, and saw Rory's eyes following her. _He is probably waiting for his soup._ Sapphire told herself, but she did not lower her gaze until she stood at his shoulder. She carefully lowered the soup onto the table cloth and started to turn around.

"Thank You," Rory's deep voice went through her causing a shiver to go down her spine. She looked into his eyes, and saw... admiration, and... Tenderness? Sapphire caught her breath, and let it out slowly, still looking into his grey eyes. He was so good looking, and he cared enough about her to tell a servant thank you. Surly that was a sign that he cared about her a little bit.

A loud, tinkling laughter snapped Sapphire out of her dazed dreaming. She snapped her head up. Lady Renee was laughing at something that Ashton had said, but she had her eyes narrowed, with a hard, cold glint, at Sapphire, obviously aware that they had been wrapped up in each other. Sapphire blushed rosily, and then set down the other bowl of soup in front of Alicia. She hurried back into the kitchen to get the rest of the soup.

Alicia gazed after her, with understanding dawning on her face. She looked to her right and saw that Rory was still looking at the door. Alicia brought up her glass of wine to hide the devilish grin on her lips. Oh, yes, she was not too young to play matchmaker.

Sapphire brought out two more soups. These ones would go to Lady Renee and to Ashton. As Sapphire carefully walked up to Lady Renee, Sapphire tripped and poured most of a bowl of soup onto Lady Renee's dress. The Lady shot up screaming, the chair running into Sapphire, knocking her onto the ground, spilling the rest of the soup all over herself.

"You... you ruined my dress! You clumsy oaf! You... You..." Lady Renee was so incensed that she could not talk. She took her napkin and threw it at Sapphire, who was still on the floor. It hit Sapphire and bounced off, but it was more of the insult than the actually damage. Lady Renee stormed off to her room, yelling behind her, "I demand that you come and change my clothing, you oaf!"

When Sapphire had tripped, Rory had jumped up and was now beside Sapphire helping her up. Rory whispered so only Sapphire could hear his words, "You don't have to help her. She can wait. I saw what you tripped on. She moved the train of her dress under your feet so you would stumble." Rory gave a mirthless laugh. "I doubt that she wanted you to spill it on her though." Rory still held Sapphire's hands in his own.

"No, I did cause the damage. I need to help repair it." Sapphire extracted her hands and gave a small curtsey. "I am sorry that dinner will be paused for a short while." With that, Sapphire left the room, closing the door softly behind her.

Ashton looked like he was about to burst with angry words. Alicia had a half angry, like she wanted to yell at Lady Renee, and half concerned, to go and comfort Sapphire. Lord Greythorpe took a sip of his wine, seemingly unaffected. Apparently he was used to bursts of anger from his sister, and a servant was nothing to concern himself about. Rory stood with his hands and jaw clenched, staring after Sapphire. He slowly sat down, and then got up and paced, waiting for Sapphire to come back, as she had promised.

Sapphire slowly walked toward the door, dreading the encounter. It was true that Lady Renee had deliberately tripped her; Sapphire had no need to feel sorry about spilling on her. However, it was also true that Lady Renee was in a foul mood.

Lady Renee stood in the middle of the room, her back ramrod straight, and commanded, "You will change me into my green dress with the blue trimming. I am very upset, so don't do anything to irritate me." Sapphire hurried over to the closet and her bedroom, pulled the dress off of the hanger, and laid it out on the bed. It was one of those dresses that did not flatter Lady Renee very well, but Sapphire was not about to say anything.

Sapphire went behind Lady Renee and started to pull off the tapes and buttons, working as fast as she could without fumbling. Sapphire pulled the dress off and was about to lay it on the bed when Lady Renee spoke up. "Not on the bed, you fool! It is ruined, just toss it away. Take it into the closet. I never want to see it again!" Sapphire did as she complied, and then came back and fitted the green dress over Lady Renee's head.

Once the dress was situated on Lady Renee, and the Lady had satisfied herself that she looked well; Lady Renee turned to Sapphire and slapped her hard against the cheek. Sapphires hand flew up to her burning cheek and she stared at Lady Renee in amazement.

"First of all, never, ever do anything so foolish again as to put me in a bad light. The second of all is, I told you to stay away from Rory. He may be fascinated with you, but do you really think that it will last?" Lady Renee's once pretty features were twisted with malice, and she no longer looked remotely beautiful. "Once he has had you in his bed, he will forget about you, and you will end up just the same as you are now, a servant, and possibly pregnant. Don't fool yourself into thinking that he cares about you. Leave him to women who fit him." With that Lady Renee flounced out the door and back into the dining room, her face once again set in amiable lines, looking as if nothing had happened.

Sapphire stood where she was, her hand on her cheek. It still stung a little, but it would be fine in a moment. However, Sapphire felt bruised. Lady Renee had been right. Whatever secret dream that Sapphire had, that Rory really had an interest in her was ridiculous. Even if he did care about her, he was not about to marry her. He owed too much to his station to marry so far down. Sapphire lowered her hand, straightened her hair, and messed a little with the stains on her dress. Then she went back to the kitchen.

The rest of the night went without mishap, Sapphire keeping her eyes downcast, silently moving about with the food and dishes. Rory watched her with concern, angry and upset. The rest of the guests watched with silent tension, aware that Lady Renee had done something to Sapphire, but not knowing what.


	19. Chapter 19

After the seven courses of dinner, and eating herself, Sapphire went back to her little room so she could change into a dress that did not have stains in it. Sapphire tossed the dress under the trundle bed. There was no way that she was going to be able to get the stains out of the skirt. One less dress to circulate in her daily selection. Sapphire peeped out of the door, to see if Lady Renee was in her room. She gave a sigh of relief, and fled to the door, intending to get out of the way.

There was just one more room she had to unpack. It should go easily, as Lord Kendall was still with his guests, talking and drinking their tea and port. Sapphire went all the way to the end of the hall, and opened the door to the room.

She was quite proud of how this room had turned out. The deep, sapphire blue worked perfectly with the silver. Sapphire had worked really hard on the bead spread and the curtains across the back wall of windows. The sheets on the bed were of blue silk, and the comforter was the blue silk, with silver embroidery. The embroidery Sapphire took from the little carving on the walls, up near the ceiling. Sapphire also embroidered the silver on the curtains.

Lord Kendall's bags where on the floor next to the wardrobe. Sapphire opened them up, and pulled out numerous white, loose shirts. After that, she found a small selection of the tight shirts, waistcoats, and jackets required of polite society. He seems as if he is not going to waste his time being a gentleman on this trip. After that, Sapphire found pants ranging from blue to brown. They, again, were not cut to be fashionable. She found a few of those in the bottom of the bag. Lastly, Sapphire pulled out sashes. They were red, black, or blue. Sapphire shook her head, as they conjured a memory of her Pirate. A chill went down Sapphire's back.

Sapphire put the bags away at the bottom of the wardrobe, and went over to a smaller carry bag. This she pulled out shaving cream, aftershave, and other sorts of things that he seemed to need. Sapphire took a small peek at the door, and then undid the top of the aftershave. It smelled of pine. She put the stopper back in, and looked around. No cologne. His smell is really his. The pine Sapphire smelled, but there was a spicy, masculine scent. That was actually his. Sapphire smiled, and held the secret tightly close to her heart.

The door to the library was opened slightly, so Sapphire headed towards it. The shelves were by now fully done, so Sapphire expected there to be some books on the shelf. There were none, however. Sapphire looked around, and on the ground there were about seven crates of books. She wrinkled her forehead. Sapphire did not want to put the books on the shelf without his permission, as she did not know what he wanted to do with it. Sapphire shrugged, and turned around to leave. Her gaze caught on an object next to the door. It was a sword.

Sapphire walked up to it, her back again ruffled by a cold chill. It looked so familiar. She put her hand out and touched it. In a flash, her mind conjured up a picture of the Pirate, turned as he was about to leave her, his hand on his sword. This sword. Sapphire stood in stunned belief. Images flashed before her eyes, Rory standing on the deck, holding the wheel, looking like a pirate. The day that she had come to The Fairy, when he did not have his shirt on. The masquerade party, where he had worn almost the exact same clothes that she had unpacked.

Sapphire staggered back to one of the chairs, and sank into it. How could she have been so stupid!

Rory came back to his room, and started to change out of his confining clothes. He wrinkled his nose in disgust. He felt so much better in the loose clothes of a pirate. Lady Renee had sniffed at his choice of clothing on deck, but he dismissed it. He had no care as to what she thought.

He put on his robe, he did not wear anything to bed, and looked out the window. The water looked black, and flowed swiftly past the boat, looking as if they were bound for all eternity to follow this path. If he looked really carefully, he could see lights from the shore. Although they were not into the open ocean waters, they were still pretty far from a town that would have lights on still this late at night. The sky was filled with silver pricks of light, and the sky was a velvety blue. Rory smiled those two colors he would always associate with Sapphire. Any type of blue was going to remind him of her.

Rory turned away, intent to get ready for bed, and noticed that the library door was closed. His brow furrowed, for he remember leaving it open. He crossed to the door, and opened it.

Sapphire was sitting in one of the chairs, her head snapping up when he opened the door. He started into the room with a smile on his face, and started to cross over to her. The look on her face made him slow and the smile drop off his face.

"What is it? What is the matter?" He crossed over to her, kneeled down next to her, and grabbed her hand. She looked down in his face with no emotion at all, and then her face turned angry.

"How long. How long have you known? Do you think I am stupid that I can't realize all the clues? I have figured who you are, Pirate!" With that she stood up, shook off his hand and walked over to one of the windows looking out. "You played me like a fool! I can't believe I am such an idiot." Her face was no longer angry, but now hurt.

"I knew that you would find out soon." Rory felt sorrow, for she had drawn away from him as much emotionally as physically. "I just hoped that you could come to trust me before you found out who I was. I was such an idiot that day. I shouldn't have kissed you; it was rude, and unwanted."

Sapphire turned around and looked at him. There was no emotion on her face, she must have pulled on the servant mask, but her eyes gave her away. They looked hurt, and angry. "Lady Renee was right, wasn't she? She said that the only reason you had any interest in me was because you wanted to seduce me. That is the only reason that I am here. Right?" She looked up at his looking for traces of guilt.

The only problem was that was exactly what he had intended to do. Only, no to seduce her for an affair, but to seduce her to marry him. She wouldn't believe that, however. She did not know that he knew she was a lady, but he wouldn't be able to convince her of that. Instead, he just looked down into her eyes, baring his emotions for her to see.

She did indeed see guilt. However, she also saw yearning, truth, and hope in his face and eyes. Instead of clarifying things for her, she just got increasingly confused. What did he want? What did she want? Sapphire turned away, and walked for the door. For some reason, tears gathered in her eyes, and all she wanted to do was go to Ouby and have her comfort her. Unfortunately, Ouby was not there. Kalin would be asleep, as he had to get up so early to make breakfast for the Lord and guests.

Sapphire quickly went to the door and opened it, intent to go into the hall. She paused, and looked back. Lord Kendall stood in the middle of the room, looking unhappy, his gaze intent as he stared at her. Sapphire hesitated, and then whipped out into the hall and closed the door.

Rory groaned and sank down on the bed, his head in his hands. What had he done? He did not know how to repair the damage that he had done. His damn pride had kept him from saying anything to her. He thought that she would not care if he had lied to her. Once he told her he was the Pirate, she would fall all over him, and they would be happy. His pride had also put the sword up there. He wanted her to see that he was good for something, not just some lord who did nothing.

Rory was glad that she knew who he was now; he just wished that it had not happened like that. Now, he would have to work extremely hard to win her trust. He hoped that he had not screwed things up for good.

Rory slipped into the bed, into to wondrously cool silk sheets, and stared out the window at the sky. The bed brought images into his head. He groaned and covered his face with his arm, but it did no good. It just brought the images into sharper focus.

He was such an idiot!


	20. Chapter 20

Sapphire walked quickly down the hall, and up the stairs onto the deck. She walked over to the railing and stood looking over the side. It was a beautiful night, cool, but not freezing. The stars were very bright, and the sky was a deep velvety blue. Sapphire took a deep lungful of air, and let it out slowly. The salty tang on the breeze brought back memories of home, of the little village set next to the sea. Sapphire smiled as she thought of the generous villages, who she and Azy had gone to, learning how to do things.

When Azy was old enough, Sapphire had taken her to a creek that trickled into the ocean, and Sapphire had taught her how to swim there. They worked from the stream to the ocean, playing among the waves and then running home, shivering. Of coming through the kitchen door, being greeted by the wonderful smells of Cook's cooking and a hot cup of tea. Of reading in the library with her father.

Sapphire still had a hard time believing that her father was really gone. He had always been a constant in her life and mind, the big gruff man who was really a teddy bear. Sapphire, having two years to calm the pain, could now think of him and not cry, but she was still sad that his death stopped Azy from having a father, especially now, when she was growing up.

The tinkling of a bell was heard, and Sapphire whipped around to answer it. There was a sophisticated system of bells in each room. When someone wanted Sapphire, they would just ring the bell pull, and the bell would go off in the kitchen. Thankfully, with the late hour, no one was in the kitchen to be woken up. Sighing, and giving up her musings, Sapphire went to the kitchen to see what bell was wrung. Lady Renee. Figures.

Sapphire strode towards the room, anger clouding her mind. How dare Lady Renee do those things to her? Hopefully she won't start anything tonight, for she was in no mood. Either she would lash out back at her, or she would burst into tears. Lord Kendall's betrayal, or, Sapphire admitted, him not telling her the truth, cost her more than she wanted to say. She was just a woman with no experience in men. She did not know what he meant with all of these games.

Lady Renee was once again reading her gothic Romance, not having gotten very far, Sapphire noticed with some satisfaction. Sapphire bobbed a curtsey and waited for whatever Lady Renee had to say.

"Yes, I just wanted to apologize for my behavior. It was extremely rude, and uncalled for." The whole time Lady Renee did not take her eyes from the book. Sapphire stood in shock. She had apologized? What was going on here? Sapphire was confused, and a little distrustful. She did not apologize on her own, someone made her, Sapphire thought with a tinge of malice.

"Thank You, Lady Renee, please, think no more of it," And Sapphire doubted she did. She was just one of those shallow people.

Sapphire went into her small room, and wearily changed into her nightgown. Today had been a trying day. Hopefully nothing more adventurous would happen tomorrow. Sapphire didn't think she would be able to handle it without bursting into tears.

Sapphire lay down on her feather bed set on top of the bunk. As her weight settled into the mattress, Sapphire let out a great sigh. What more could a woman want with a bed? With a wonderfully fluffy mattress and pillows, and warm sheets and comforters. Rory to cuddle would be lovely! Sapphire turned angrily over, mad at the thoughts, and mad at the images they conjured. Now she was never going to sleep with ought him in her thoughts.

And she was correct, but then again, he had been in her dreams, alternating with the Pirate. Now that she knew they were one and the same, the dreams were even worse. She respected Rory's character, and now knew that he could kiss so well. Sapphire did not exactly have a restful night's sleep, but she did sleep.

***

Lord Greythorpe was pacing his room. Things were looking increasingly bad. Rory was obviously taken by Miss Lowy. When Renee had tripped her, he thought that she had done a good job, making it look like it was Miss Lowy's fault. Apparently Rory had seen her move, though, so that plan had not worked. Grey ran a hand through his hair, putting more port into his glass.

He had made Renee apologize; make it seem like she was truly sorry. Or, at least try. Knowing his sister, she wouldn't try very hard to convince her. However, his plan did not call for Miss Lowy to dislike Renee. Renee would have to get to know helpful details that would aid him. Such as, why Miss Lowy basically fled Rory's room? What had happened? Grey knew that Rory was the pirate and she the fairy. It had not taken too long to figure out. He had had a man keeping an eye on Ashton. So, once Ashton had known, so did Grey.

Grey sat down at the table and looked again at the papers. His finances where not doing very well. The estate was putting out good money, and he was wringing all the money he could from it by raising takes, and not taking the time to lay fields fallow. Why would you let perfectly good fields, which could be filled with crops, just lie there? Grey shook his head at the stupidity of some people.

However, Grey had put a large amount of money in a ruby mine in the jungles of heathen land and it had turned into a flop. The only things there, after all, were trees, dangerous diseases, and hostile savages. That investment was a big flop. Not to mention the lavish style that he lead, and his sister. The town house was large, and in good shape, but the previous owner had not gone to town in years, and so the decorating had to be completely redone, to bring it up to standard. The Greythorpe's where an upstanding and rich family and Grey intended to keep it that way.

Grey put the papers into a small safe that he had hidden in the sea chest. No one was going to find it there or get into it. Only he had the key. Grey stumbled toward the bed, stripping off the rest of his opulent clothing, and scattered it around. Miss Lowy could clean it up; she was, after all, the maid.

Greythorpe fell asleep, his mouth open, his breath sour from his drinking, dreaming of riches, and of revenge against the man who had everything he had ever wanted.


	21. Chapter 21

The next morning, Sapphire woke up with a head ache, and was still tired. She wanted to roll over and go back asleep, but she had things to do before the guests woke up. Sapphire rolled over, and fumbled her way over to the little window, drawing the curtain back to allow sunlight into the small room. Now all there was to see was the glittering blue of the ocean, the sun reflecting brightly off of it, and the pale almost whiteness of the sky. Sapphire dressed quickly into another of her grey dresses, and silently opened the door to Lady Renee's room.

Lady Renee was still sleeping, and would most likely be sleeping for another four hours. She lay perfectly still on her back, her hands folded on her stomach, her hair neatly in place. Sapphire held back a smile at the thought that she looked like one of the princesses in the stories that she read to Azy. Sapphire quietly went out into the hall, and then into the kitchen.

By this time Kalin had the kitchen fully running, turning out eggs, kippers, beefsteaks, coffee, tea, toast, bacon, sausages, and more was coming. Kalin looked up as she entered, giving her a wide smile. "Good to see you rising so early! I bet you have a healthy appetite, so dig in, and then could you put the food onto trays and put them on the side table?"

Sapphire tied on an apron, and then sat down at the crews table. The night shift crew were due to be off in a half an hour and the day crew would eat then as well. Sapphire ate a good portion of eggs, toast, and a bit of bacon. She knew that she had to fill herself up because there would be no food until about three o-clock, lunch time. And of course, a servant would not take tea around six before dinner. Only the nobility did that.

Sapphire finished, and put her plates in the tub were she would later wash all of the dishes. Once done with that, she carefully transferred the food from the regular pewter dishes onto more attractive ones, and brought them out to the dining room. So far, the only guest who had notified her to the want to stay in bed was Lady Renee, so she expected the men and Alicia to come in from now until noon.

Sapphire went back to the kitchen, and started on the dishes. She would do the dishes, make sure the food would still be warm for the guests, wash those dishes, then change and air the bed linins, and anything else Kalin or Rory assigned her.

Sapphire scrubbed furiously at a plate with bacon grease on it. Her dreams last night were in no way acceptable for a servant to be thinking about her master. He had kissed her like he had at the masquerade, and he had gone a bit farther. Not the full way, Sapphire was a country girl and did know what that entitled, but she had been willing. In her dream. Sapphire blushed thinking about it.

Just then, Sapphire heard someone opening the door to the dining room. Her heart sank. Just knowing her luck, it would be Rory, and she would not be able to think coherently. Sapphire whipped her hands off, drying them, and walked into the dining room. She smiled in relief and welcome. It was Alicia.

"Hello Alicia! Could I get you some cocoa or tea perhaps?" Sapphire asked in a friendly voice, pulling out a chair for her to sit in.

"Oh, cocoa would be lovely! Thank you." When Sapphire moved to get a plate, Alicia interjected, "Oh, don't be so silly! I can get my own food; I am not some helpless woman who needs someone to do everything for her!" Alicia said all of this with a smile, taking the plate and lifting the covers from the serving dishes. She sniffed and smiled in appreciation, then looked over to Sapphire, "it is bad enough I don't know how to make cocoa! Now scat, and then come back in here so we can talk!"

Sapphire smiled and quickly made up a warm cup of the chocolaty flavored drink. When she returned to the room, Alicia was tucking into a full plate of steak, eggs, and toast. Sapphire smiled another, smaller, smile. Alicia was no helpless, weak female. That was for sure!

"Ah, thank you! And now, you will pull up a chair yourself, and tell me more about you. I know you work at Madame Oubliette's, but what is that like? Serving snobby rich folk because they think they are better because they were lucky enough to be born to wealth? And how did you get on this boat as a maid?" Alicia took a sip of her cocoa, looking over the rim with an inquiring look.

Sapphire thought for a second, and then decided to tell Alicia the whole tale of how she met Rory. She was bound to figure it out, for she must be able to tell of the undercurrents between them. "Well, I met Lord Kendall first, at his masquerade. I did not know it was he and, he... um... kissed me." At Alicia's wide eyes, Sapphire thought she was going to condone either her or Rory, but Alicia was full of surprises.

"Those bastards! They wouldn't let me go to the party! I almost got away with it, I had a gorgeous gypsy costume, but Ashton saw me wearing it, and then kept close tabs on me." Alicia settled back with a disgruntled expression, but Sapphire could see the mischief behind her eyes. Alicia abandoned the pose when she saw Sapphire about to laugh. "How did he kiss?"

Sapphire gasped in mock horror, "Why Alicia, you are supposed to be a chaste, innocent girl! Not interested in the dirtying thoughts of kisses!" The two women collapsed into giggles. "I honestly have had very little experience with kisses, you probably have had more than me," Sapphire flicked her wrist, and Alicia got a smug look on her face. Sapphire let out a burst of laughter, "But, I do know that it was... wonderful. He was in costume, and so I did not know him. I am not sure how Ashton found me. All of the sudden he was just there at the dress shop. I think he worked with Ouby, the woman who owns the shop, to get me to take the job of interior decorating. Then, when that was all over Rory, or Lord Kendall," She hastily amended, her face going pink, "offered me the job. I couldn't refuse."

Alicia sat back with a thoughtful expression, her plate now clean and her glass empty. "I recall that when I asked to go into the shop he seemed hesitant, but then he read the name and he was ecstatic. I can only surmise that he knew the name of the shop before he found you." Sapphire knew how, recalling the deaf, but lovable driver, and explained it to Alicia.

There was a fumbling at the door, and Lord Greythorpe stumbled in. Sapphire hastily stood up, took away Alicia's dishes and asked if there was anything that he wanted. "Coffee," was all that he replied to her, and he served himself up his own food. Sapphire guessed that he had fallen asleep drunk again, for he was in a terrible temper. Sapphire hurried toward the door.

Alicia gave her an impish grin, and then inquired, slightly evilly, to Lord Greythorpe on how he slept. Sapphire left quickly before she burst out laughing.

The rest of Sapphire's morning went by pretty quickly. The only other remarkable thing that happened was when Rory came in for breakfast. His hair was tossed, and his cheeks wind burned, so she guessed that he had been on deck. He served himself his food, and smiled at her very warmly when she brought him a steaming cup of coffee. He was bright eyed, cold handed, and irresistibly handsome. She turned away from his smile before she did anything stupid, like smile at him. She did not want him to think that she had so easily forgiven him for betraying her trust. However, she did not see the hurt but determined look that crossed his face when she turned away.

He cleared his thought, allowing Ashton and Alicia, who were arguing like siblings, Lord Greythorpe and Lady Renee, who had come in after she was perfectly coiffed, to settle their eyes on him. "I see on the Northern horizon a suspicious blackening. It seems that we will be having a storm sometime tomorrow. Do not worry though," he added when Lady Renee gave a slight shriek, "The crew I have hired are the top notch, and Grey here tells me he knows a thing or two about boats." Rory's gaze collided with hers; silently telling her he understood that she would also be able to help.

"Do not worry; I doubt we will be in any trouble. Think of this as an adventure!" Rory again tried to reassure Lady Renee, who looked about to faint. Alicia on the other hand, was almost bouncing with joy. "We will be taking some security measures, so I shall need to talk to you S... Miss Lowy, later."

Sapphire nodded slightly, and went into the kitchen to finish with the dishes now that they were done. Had it been her imagination, or had he almost said Sapphire? She did not want to hope, but she did anyways.


	22. Chapter 22

Sapphire slipped into Rory's room, wondering what he had to say to her. Rory stood looking out the multicolored windows, watching the now obvious black thunderheads rolling towards them at a startling pace. Although the rain was still a ways behind them, the wind had picked up noticeably, and the boat was rocking much more. Sapphire had had to help Lady Renee into bed, her moaning and cursing the storm, the boat, Sapphire, whatever she could think of. It had been a very quick change, as Sapphire was determined to get away from her.

Rory turned around and looked at her. Sapphire lowered her gaze to the floor, slightly coloring. He was so... intimidating sometimes. "I am afraid I was not completely honest with my guests. This storm may turn into a fierce one, and we will have to be very prepared. I need you to go through all of the rooms and make sure everything is placed where it will not break. Go to Kalin and tell him to make batches of stew for the crew, for they will not have a long time to eat and they will be chilly,” Rory gave her another penetrating stare, looking straight into her sapphire eyes. "I do not want you to be helping on deck. Watching how you have handled working on a boat, and helping sometimes with the outfitting, I am well aware you know what you are doing. However, I don't want to risk it. To risk you."

Sapphire's eyes widened, and she dropped them down to the floor again. He was surprising her. Worried about her? Rory silently crossed the room to her side, and made her jump when she felt his hand under her chin, lightly lifting up her face, and tilting it slightly. He stared hard at her cheek, and cursed.

"What did she do to you? I can see a slight bruise!" Rory's face looked like a thundercloud, dark and dangerous. Sapphires hand came up to cup her cheek, shielding it from his gaze. She had not known that it had bruised. Sapphire had taken a brief look in the mirror in the morning, to make sure her hair was acceptable, but had not really looked at her cheek.

Rory gently brushed her hand aside, giving her a look when she opened her mouth to speak. Sapphire closed it, standing tense, waiting to see what he was going to do.

Rory smoothed the skin, seeing the slight outline of a palm. Lady Renee had slapped her, and Sapphire had not done anything, Lady Renee had caused the whole thing. Sapphire looked at him with wide, wary eyes. Rory gave her a slight smile and dipped his head down to her cheek. Breathing of her skin, which smelled of clean air and honeysuckle, he brushed a slight kiss over her cheek. Sapphire gasped, and pulled away, her hand again cupping her cheek, but instead of dismay on her face, there was yearning, but also sadness.

"I... I will do what you ask now. Pray, excuse me!" Sapphire turned and fled out the door, leaving Rory standing, hands clenched, wanting to follow her, but knowing that she would run.

Sapphire dashed down the hall to the kitchen, still cupping her face. Her cheek tingled and she could still feel his lips imprinted on her skin. Oh, she was such a fool. He had been so sweet and tender that she had wanted to throw her arms around him. However much her body and heart liked him, her mind did not trust his intentions. Was he still trying to seduce her, or, as much as her mind doubted this, was he trying to win her? Did he want her for a wife? She was of noble blood. No one had to know that for the past two years she had been working as a servant. They could work things out, couldn't they?

Sapphire knew that that was her heart talking. There were too many problems that would have to be solved. Sapphire sighed as she pushed open the door to the kitchen.

Kalin was humming loudly, working over a large pot. Sapphire was tomatoes, carrots, potatoes, beef, and a few other things. He was making stew. "Either you have exceptionally good hearing, or you know what a storm entitles!" Kalin looked up with a wide grin and a buff laugh.

"Why, Sapph, I have been through more storms than I can count. There have been six crew to three hundred. I think I know what a storm entitles and what the risks are. Too dangerous to have anything in an oven. The fires from it could burn down a ship and sink it before the water does. Did the capt'n send you?" Sapphire had moved over to Kalin side and was chopping up more carrots for the stew.

"Yes, but I can't stay long. I have enough things to do. Change sheets, and then I have to make sure everything is stable." Sapphire looked around the kitchen, to all of the pots and pans hanging from a rack dangling from the ceiling. "Speaking of, are those safe?"

"Ach, miss, I made sure I was prepared. Everything I told you to get is storm proof, except the ovens. Nice and fancy, but I prefer a stove anyway. Don't burn down anything." Sapphire smiled, relieved that she had one less large room to worry about. She wiped her hands on a cloth, and then gave Kalin a buss across his cheek, and left the room.

Sapphire thought that he and Ouby would be perfect for each other. Kalin once had said that he was getting too old for the sea, and, frankly, Ouby needed someone to help share her burdens. And her cooking, Sapphire shuddered. That was not something she looked forward to.

Sapphire decided to start in Lady Renee's room, as that Lady was still sleeping and Sapphire would not have to listen to her complaining. The only thing that Sapphire would have to work on in that room would be the twenty glass bottles that carried perfumes and cosmetics. Sapphire took extra sheets from the linen closet, and put it in the sea chest at the end of the bed. She then carefully put them inside of the linen and wrapped them up so they would not break against each other. If Lady Renee even wanted to leave her compartment when the storm hit, she would want to look nice, and Sapphire would have to get them out again. Some feeling in Sapphire told her that Lady Renee would not leave the room for a while.

Sapphire did that with Ashton's, Alicia's, and Rory's rooms. Through all of them, there were only a few things, nothing of interest. Sapphire just packed them away into the sea chest. There were a few things in the library that were delicate, and so she packed them into Rory's sea chest as well.

However, in Lord Greythorpe's room, Sapphire got curious. There were a few bottles on Lord Greythorpe's desk, some of cologne and his aftershave. Sapphire was routinely putting them in the sea chest, humming slightly, when she found a safe in the bottom of the chest. All of the rest of the guests were up on deck, doing what they could to enjoy the rest of the sunshine before the storm broke. So Sapphire took a quick glance out the window, saw it was still a sunny day, and carefully pulled the safe out.

She sat back on her heals looking at it. Now, being a thief entitles one to know many things. One of those things is how to pick a lock. However, there is a difference between a house or window lock, and a safe lock. This one would be complicated, if even possible. Sapphire thought back to the way Lord Greythorpe had been upset and angry at the contents of the paper. Inwardly, she debated with herself the merits of snooping. Sapphire shrugged, and looked around for something. She was just too curious for her own good.

In one of the drawers on the desk, there was a ring with keys attached to it. Sapphire quickly grabbed it and walked back to the little safe, resting on the bed now.

After a fruitless fifteen minutes where she had tried the keys, any little scrap of metal she could find, and even tried to pull out the hinges, Sapphire gave up. She set down the safe, an annoyed and dejected look on her pretty face. She really had wanted to know. Unfortunately, this safe seemed to be made by a person who knew what they were doing. Sapphire was not a professional, and it was not like her life depended on her knowing what was in those papers.

Sapphire slowly put the safe away, and then wrapped the bottles and put them away as well. Closing the chest, she turned around and started for the door. It opened and almost hit her.

Lord Greythorpe stood there, glaring at her. "What were you doing in here?" He demanded walking into the room and grabbing her wrist.

"Sir!" She sputtered, trying to pry her fingers off, which just made him tighten them cruelly. "I was just following Lord Kendall's orders. I was making sure everything was in a safe area so they would not break!" Sapphire was scared now. He looked very dangerous. Not how Rory had looked when he had discovered her bruise, but evil, like he wanted to do her harm.

Lord Greythorpe stared down at her, searching her face for some form of guilt. Sapphire was an excellent actress, being a thief required you to be, and so she masked her real feelings into one of worry and confusion. He stared at her for a moment longer, and then threw her arm away, making her stumble.

"Fine, you're dismissed." Sapphire ran out, going on deck and took deep breaths. She was not sure how long she stood there. Finally, a low and threatening rumble sounded. Sapphire snapped her head up and saw that the black clouds where almost on the little ship in the sea of waves. The storm had arrived.


	23. Chapter 23

Sapphire paced up and down the dimly light hall, feeble light coming only from a wildly swinging lamp, chewing her lip and her fingernails. When the storm had arrived, Rory had banished her down below. He had given one of those penetrating looks again, but had not tried to kiss her. Sapphire gave a tiny sigh, and stopped pacing for a moment. On deck would have been easier than down here. Lady Renee was moaning and cursing everything, looking very green. The rocking of the boat forced her to stay in bed, and finally Sapphire had had to lace her tea with brandy to make her go to sleep. Alicia, although not scared of the storm, was also feeling a bit queasy from the boats rocking. Ashton, true to his fun loving self, did not get sea sick, something he did not know, and was pleased of. He had put on rain slickers and gone up to help with the crew. Sapphire did not know what happened to Lord Greythorpe. She had, frankly, been avoiding him, not wanting to see what he would do.

A loud crack of lightning, and a boom of thunder quickly following it, shook her out of her reverie. Surly she could be some help to the poor men above? She heard them shouting at one another, trying to be heard over the wind and the rain.

The boat dropped significantly, going down into one of the dips of the waves. Sapphire stumbled against the wall, and righted herself. There was a cry from above deck, and then a thump. _Someone must have fallen. Oh, god! Who was it?_ Sapphire ran to the stairs just as they were opening. Ashton gingerly stepped down, letting in a gallon of water, and closed the hatch with a thud. He was limping as he climbed down the stairs.

"Oh, Ashton, what happened? Are you all right? Is it so very bad out there?" Sapphire went to one of the pegs on the wall, where she had hung dry towels to give to the people coming in. Ashton just sighed, and made a halting motion with his hand. He pulled off his jacket, and Sapphire hastily went to him, and helped get him out of his wet things. Once that was done, and he was wrapped in the towel, did he speak.

"Things were going fine, until the swell. I was working on one of the ropes, when I dropped directly onto my leg. Now, I just need to lie down, and to try and get warm." He looked so tired and careworn, that Sapphire just led him towards his room. Once he was inside, waiting for her to leave so that he may change into dry clothing, Sapphire returned to the kitchen to fetch him some stew, and a warming pan for his feet. Poor Ashton. However, Sapphire could not help but think of Rory. How was he doing?

Another thump of the hatch leading to outside brought Sapphire rushing back into the hall. This time it was Rory. She ran over to him, snatching a towel off of the hook, and brought it to him. He gave her a penetrating stare, and then took off the hat he was wearing and vigorously toweled his hair.

"I need for you to get Grey to come up. We need one more person to work the ropes, and he said that he knew what he was doing." Rory gave a quick sigh. He seemed tired, and yet, also incredibly alive. "The storm has not showed signs of stopping, so we must carry on until it has passed. However, due to how quickly it came to us, I don't think it will last out the day." Rory stood in front of her, his soaked jacket dripping rhythmically to the floor. "Will you do that for me?"

Sapphire looked him strait in the eye, and nodded her head once. She turned to go. "Sapphire?" She stopped, dead. He had called her Sapphire. He had called her by her name! She turned around again and looked up. Before she knew what was happening, Rory pressed his lips to hers in a hard, possessive kiss, and then he was gone, already up the ladder and closing the hatch to outside.

Sapphire walked in a daze to Lord Greythorpe's room, a half smile set on her face, and a glazed expression in her eye. However, when the boat careened wildly, she snapped back to focus, and knocked on the door. No one answered. Sapphire hesitantly pushed open the door and took in the surroundings. Lord Greythorpe was on the bed, the decanter of brandy sitting nestled to his side, almost empty. He was again passed out. Sapphire stared in disgust. Well, he was not going to be any use to Rory!

Sapphire again slipped out into the hall. She bit her lip and leaned against the door, thinking. Although she had promised Rory that she would not do anything dangerous, she could not just leave him without help when he needed it. Sapphire had packed a pair of her thief clothes, a jacket and pants. Surely, when she put those on and some of the rain gear, Rory would not consciously notice that it was her, but instead just allow her to work? He would be so busy on deck that he would not notice her. Sapphire raised her chin in a stubborn way. Yes, that was what she was going to do. She quickly changed; rolling her eyes at the moans of agony Lady Renee was giving even while she was asleep, and headed out to the hall. Beside the stairway was a large heap of the rain gear, and Sapphire fitted herself, twisted her hair up, made sure it was secure, and then put one of the hats over it.

When Sapphire stepped into the storm, her breath deserted her for an instant. It was beautiful. The dark clouds where magnificent in their mighty beauty and the white caps of the waves seemed to glow. The wind was whipping the poor sails around, the small crew scrambling to secure them. As the rain pounded down on her, she looked for Rory. He was standing on the side of the deck, holding two different ropes, and pulling back on one, and then the other.

Sapphire hurried over, taking one of the ropes from his hand. He did not even seem to notice, just knew that someone was there, and he relinquished the rope and told her when she needed to heave. They were taking in the topsail, slowly bringing the bottom of the sail up to where the crew could fold it under its covering.

After the crew had put that sail up, Sapphire moved over to the jib. Standing on the railing at the very bow of the boat, she hauled down on the sail, pulling with all of her might. It was slow work with only one person. The wind was driving the rain directly into her face, making it impossible to see, so she just closed her eyes and hauled. Her fingers were starting to cramp from the cold and wet, and her hair was straggling out at some points.

Suddenly a pair of arms wrapped around her back, and rested directly above her own on the sail. "Why you little sneak!" Rory's lips were pressed against her ear so that she may hear him. Instead of sounding completely angry, however, there was amusement in his deep voice, and he was in a good enough mood to move his body closer to her back. "I won't ask why Grey isn't up here. You have proven more than a little helpful." The words, spoken against her ear, caused her to shiver.

She turned just enough to look into his eyes and give a smile to him. Rory, his grey eyes dancing, dropped a kiss onto her nose. Then, he disentangled himself from around her, and started to pull on the sail. Sapphire turned back to the job, a smile still plastered on her face.

He hadn't been angry! Not really. He acknowledged that she knew what she was doing, and that she had helped. A glow within Sapphire kept the smile on her face until another crack of lightning split the sky, and the rumble of thunder, from directly above them, shook the entire boat. Sapphire knew one of the fears was that the lightning would strike one of the masts. It was possible...

Rory was standing at the helm now, steering them through troughs and swells. When he saw her looking at him, he motioned her over. Although no words were spoken, he pulled her in front of him, placing her hands on the wheel, and wrapping his arms around her waist. He just held her tightly, placing his head on top of her hat.

Sapphire did not know if there was even any point in trying to steer the ship, it went its own way, even when she twisted, but she was not going to move, even if her life depended on it. Something between them had changed. Sapphire now knew that whatever happened, she trusted him. He was gentle, did not try to suppress her and what she wanted. He listened to her, and he made her smile. Also, most importantly, he made her feel alive. That there was something to aspire to.

Sapphire smiled and snuggled even closer to his tall, broad body. For now, standing in the freezing rain, listening to the roar of the wind and water, she was sublimely happy.


	24. Chapter 24

For the rest of the storm tossed night, Sapphire drunkenly staggered from one end of the ship to the other, helping put the sails back up, lashing down careening barrels that had gotten loose, yelling warnings to other helpers when waves crashed over the deck. There were a few close calls when one of the cross masts broke, and crashed down to deck. Sapphire had pushed Rory out of the way of one of them. The look that he gave her warmed her right down to her toes. She knew that if there wasn't work to be done, he would have kissed her. They cleaned up the mess with broad smiles on their faces.

The storm finally broke around 7:30 am. The rain lessened to a sort of mist, the waves gentled until they were only about half the size of the tossed ship, the clouds parted to reveal a strong ray of sunlight. When the turn of the hour rolled around, the storm had disappeared entirely. The only evidence of a storm proceeding the bright morning was that all of the ship and its crew were drenched, and how the sea was still slightly choppy.

Sapphire was collapsed on top of one of the barrels, so tired that she couldn't open her eyes. She was in one of those states where everything is heard, but she couldn't respond to them. She had been up for more than 24 hours, and working hard for the last half of them. She knew that she should go to her bed to sleep, but she was just too... tired...

Rory looked over to Sapphire, and saw that she was asleep, a slight smile resting on her lips. Rory matched her smile with one of his own. She was so beautiful. And so supportive and strong. It had been such a shock when he had figured out it was her. No matter how hard she tried, her rounded bottom gave her away in men's breeches. If he hadn't been so busy, he might have been very uncomfortable. He had been for a little bit, when he had been holding her at the helm.

And, he recalled, she had saved him with that cross beam. He had not even known that it had broken, and would have continued to work on what he was doing if Sapphire hadn't bodily moved him. She had ended up sprawled on top of him, and he had been so tempted to kiss her. However, they needed to clean up, and to go back to work.

Rory walked over to the sleeping Sapphire, gently picking her up and cradling her against his chest. She sighed, and snuggled in closer to him, her face pressed against his neck, sending a shiver down his spine. Rory walked carefully, but not gingerly, down the stairs, into the hall. He set her down, and she woke up, partly, enough to realize that she had to take off the wind and rain breaker.

Rory helped her fumbling attempts to take off the jacket, pants and hat. She was once again asleep, supported only by his hands. Rory picked her up again, cradling her, and stood indecisive. Should he take her to his room? She would be comfortable, but he also needed to sleep, and would sleep next to her in a heartbeat. However, the others would know, and that would not be a good thing. He didn't want to take her back to her little bed, through Lady Renee's room.

In the end, the decision was made for him, as Alicia peeked her head out into the hall. "Oh, I thought I heard noises. Oh, is Sapphire okay? Bring her in here," Alicia the sensible girl that she was, motioned him into the room. Rory gladly followed. Although Sapphire was not heavy, but he was exhausted as well, and so her weight had started to pull on him.

"No, she is just tired. Can you see that she is changed into some warm, dry clothes?" Rory said, laying Sapphire down on the bed. Alicia would know how to deal with her; she had helped in many sick rooms. Sapphire sleepily opened her eyes, and smiled up at him. Rory bent down, pressed a kiss against her forehead. Seeing that her eyes closed once more, he gave Alicia a kiss on the cheek, much more brotherly than the one he gave Sapphire, and headed towards his room, changed, and collapsed into a dreamless sleep.

Alicia changed Sapphire, able as Rory thought, and put her to bed. Sapphire slept all the way through breakfast, lunch, and woke up around tea time. She looked a mess, her hair was wild and snarled, and she felt a mess, with the sea salt crusted over her skin, but her spirit was light and happy.

Sapphire sat up, looking around the room. She instantly knew where she was, and Alicia sitting in the corner reading a book confirmed it. "Hello Alicia. What time is it?" Alicia looked up with a smile on her face, shaking her head slightly.

"Why you lazy bug! It is just tea time." Giving Sapphire a critical look, Alicia stated, "You badly need a bath. Let me get Kalin for you. He will be glad to oblige!" Sapphire nodded in relief, and lay back on her pillows, snuggling down in them. She replayed what had happened between her and Rory in her mind, not disturbed by the tub being brought in, and the water filling it. She only snapped out of it when the door closed, leaving her in absolute quiet.

Sapphire scrubbed herself so hard her skin turned a rosy pink. The salt was also matted in her hair, which she rubbed with soap four times before she felt it was clean. Then she gave herself the luxury of rose soap, hoping that Rory would like the smell.

Drying off, wrapping herself in Alicia's dressing gown, and scampering over to her room, Sapphire dressed, and went to the kitchen, where Kalin was once again heating up water. On her entrance, Kalin smiled and said, "Well, look at the heroine! Lord Kendall told everyone that you saved him from a falling beam. You are invited to dinner, not as a maid, but as a guest!" While Sapphire stood there, struck dumb, Kalin smiled a knowing smile. "Lord Kendall seemed mighty happy with you, lass. Is there something going on there?"

Sapphire ducked her head, grabbed a plate of biscuits, and hurried through the connecting door, Kalin's laugher following her through. Her cheeks were burning, but she felt so warm in side. Rory wanted her to be with him. As an equal. She was so pleased with this, that even Lady Renee, who was harping at her for not being there to attend to her noble self, was able to put a damper on her mood.

Alicia and Ashton shared amused looks, well aware of what Rory had asked of her, Ashton had put the thought to him, being part of the plan that he and Ouby had thought up. The two were also aware that there was more than just a flirtation between the two.

Sapphire waited on all of the guests for tea. They all had managed to overcome their seasickness, or brandy induced sickness, for the day, and were chatting and having a nice time over tea. The only one who was any trouble was Lady Renee. She was complaining, and being a noble pain, but Sapphire just contented herself to thinking about how shocked she would be when she arrived at the table.

When tea was over, Alicia motioned Sapphire to follow her into her room. Once there, Alicia's face broke into a large smile, and she started to laugh, collapsing onto the bed. Sapphire knew instantly what she was laughing about. The sour Lady Renee. "I cannot wait to see her face! Oh, say, you must be so beautiful that no one even pays attention to her! So, do you have a dress?" Alicia looked at her with her wide smile and in impish light in her eyes.

"Oh, I do have a dress! Let me get it!" Sapphire was too far gone in the revelry to worry about what Lady Renee would say. She did know, however that she wanted to surprise her, wanting to see the look of shock on her face. Sapphire brought the dress into Alicia's room, and they booth cooed over the beautiful dress, and fixed Sapphire's hair part way. Lady Renee would need tending to Sapphire waited.

Indeed, once Lady Renee was finished with her toiletries, dressed in a mulberry color that was just too dark for her complexion and an elaborate hair style, Sapphire was convinced that this would be a great lark.

Once back with Alicia, Sapphire finished putting her hair up, a riot of curls pinned at the top of her head, and cascading down her neck. The dress was pulled over and pinned up. The sapphire silk was cool and elegant. The skirt fell in graceful waves to the floor, the skirt split to show silver embroidered on the underskirt. The bodice had swirling patterns embroidered in silver, and the little puffed sleeves bore the same silver thread. Alicia found a silver ribbon, and the threaded it through her hair. Finally, Alicia took out a small sapphire, in the cut of a heart, and threaded on a silver chain, to place around her neck.

When she stepped back and looked at herself in the mirror for the first time, Sapphire was stunned. The woman looking back at her was flushed with a rosy glow, looking healthy and lovely. The gown worked perfectly with her pale complexion and her sapphire eyes. Sapphires teared up, turned around and threw her arms around Alicia, whispering "Thank you."


	25. Chapter 25

Sapphire stood outside the dining room door, her arms crossed with Alicia's. Alicia was garbed in a spring green with little yellow ribbons on it and in her hair. The color suited her very well.

Inside of the room, there was a complaint voiced by Lady Renee. "Where is Lady Alicia? Since that storm has ended I am now famished!" She was warbling on, hanging, Sapphire guessed, on Rory's arm. A bubble of possessiveness rose up in her chest. Rory liked her, not a winy brat.  
Alicia squeezed her arm, bringing Sapphire out of her trance. Alicia gave her a devious smile, imagining the look on Lady Renee's face, and pushed the door open. "Sorry we are late everyone." Alicia breezed into the room.

"We?" Lady Renee exclaimed archly. Just then Sapphire stepped into the room.

No one spoke. Alicia looked like a cat that had just eaten a canary, staring at the enraged, confused, lofty emotions playing over Lady Renee's face. Ashton had a huge grin on his face, encouraging her to overcome her jitters. Lord Greythorpe had an unreadable expression stamped into his face, but his eyes held a look of astonishment. However, it was Rory's face that held her attention. He looked at her like she was an angel, as if he wanted to hold her.

Rory walked up to her slowly, still pinning his eyes on hers, and offered her his arm. She took it, giving it a slight squeeze, showing that she was nervous. A wide grin split his face, and he looked around at the dazed or amused people. "Well, shall we eat?" With that he led her over to the chair to his left, the spot of honor, held out her chair, and then sat down at the head of the table. The rest of the guests quickly complied.

Alicia cut off Lady Renee, taking the seat to Rory's right. Lady Renee, fuming inwardly, but giving a bright smile, went to the end of the table and sat down gracefully. She was hoping that Rory would see that she could make a wonderful addition to any household by being the perfect hostess. When she looked down the table to give him an intimate smile, her face reflected her inward emotion. Rory had not even looked up when they had sat down; instead he had his head bent towards Miss Lowy. What was she even doing here? A servant at a nobles table, huh, what a laugh. A catty smile crossed Lady Renee's face.

"So, tell us dear, why are you dinning with us tonight?" Her tone held a note that usually only other females caught. It was the tone of mocking, of making fun of the person. However, Rory heard it, and was instantly defending her.

"Sapphire saved my life!" Rory proclaimed calmly, but with a hint of steel beneath its surface.

Lord Greythorpe, before this was quiet, drinking a little out of his wine goblet, watching the poor crew member who was forced to be the waiter this evening hand out bowls of soup, and watching everyone at the table. At Rory's pronouncement, he choked on the wine he was drinking and went into a coughing fit.

"Why, Grey didn't know you cared so much for Rory's life!" Ashton drawled, making everyone around the table, even Lord Greythorpe, laugh.

"Oh, it was just a shock to hear it! I know that it could have been possible, but so hard to imagine! Tell us more, Rory," Lord Greythorpe took another soothing sip of his wine to coat his scratched throat, and looked at Rory expectantly.

Soon enough the story of how Sapphire had pushed Rory out of the way of the falling cross beam was out to the guests. Lady Renee, trying to gain back Rory's favor, cooed dramatically about how he could have been hurt... on and Miss Lowy too. Although, Lady Renee's attention did not seem to place much emphasis on Sapphire's own possible demise.

Sapphire did not let it bother her. Rory was attentive to her, making sure she was comfortable, that she was well rested and had not received any injuries. Alicia still had her smug look plastered on her face, but she was also telling very funny stories that kept the company laughing. Ashton would make some remark to whatever Alicia would say, and it would doubly the hilarity. Lord Greythorpe appeared to pay attention, but Sapphire noticed that he only laughed when others did, and his eyes were glazed over, as if he were deep in thought. Lady Alicia would try to be amusing, but she said the stories in such a smug way that everyone knew that she was just trying to build herself up.

Halfway through dinner, a hand landed on her knee. She jerked slightly, and then cast Rory a quick glance. He just gave her a warm, secure smile. Sapphire knew then that he was not trying to seduce her, just touch her. Since Sapphire had wanted to do that for a while, she slipped her hand down to his. He flipped his hand over, the back pressed against her leg, his fingers entwining with hers.

Sapphire would have to release his hand to eat, but then, once she was done, it would slip back down to be held in his strong, calloused clasp. If Sapphire died right now, she would be very happy.

Dinner drew to a close, and Sapphire relinquished Rory's hand back to him with a sad smile. The night, despite Lady Renee's efforts, had been so wonderful. Sapphire could imagine herself sitting next to Rory for the rest of her life. This was not a wise thing to wish for, as it was almost impossible for it to come true. But hey, Sapphire was a dreamer, and so that was what she did.

"Sapphire, dear, can I talk to you before you go to bed?" Alicia put a hand on Sapphire's arm, again a smirk on her face. It was not an unpleasant smirk, more of an "Oh, you and I have much to talk about" smirk. Sapphire nodded, tossed Rory another glance, which he met with a wide, seductive smile. Oh, Sapphire sometimes wished she did not have such strong morals.

Sapphire followed Alicia into the hall, and then stopped. "I would like to change out of these clothes first! It won't take me long, I will be right there." Sapphire slipped into Lady Renee's room, and into the little closet. Sitting down on the cot, looking into the small mirror placed by her bed, Sapphire started to pull the pins out of her hair, humming tunelessly to herself.

Lady Renee's door opened, and then closed. Sapphire silently sighed. Now she would have to help Lady Renee get ready for bed before she went to talk to Alicia. Just as Sapphire stood up to unbutton her dress, voices started in the next room.

"I tell you, I know of no one else who has ever had that name. It makes too much sense! Whitlow, Lowy. They are too similar. Now that I think on it, she even looks like the portrait of her mother hanging in the dining room. It has to be her." Sapphire stopped, quickly reached over and blew out the candle. Lord Greythorpe knew it was her! They knew her last name, her mother's picture, and where it was.

"Well, what are we going to do about it? I knew you were coughing for a different matter. Since when have you ever cared if Lord Kendall died? Anyways, we need her money, so what are we going to do about it." Lady Renee's voice was moving around the room. Either she was pacing or she was getting ready for bed. Probably pacing, as she would not be able to do it by herself.

"Well, we have to show her dead body to a doctor..." Lord Greythorpe's voice continued, but she stopped listening; her body slumped on the bed. Her dead body! Oh my gosh! And what did he mean about money? She had money? Sapphire sat in the room, thoughts tumbling over her mind. What to do, what to do?

Finally, the two left the room, going to Lord Greythorpe's to do something. Sapphire had not really paid attention, her mind being occupied with other thoughts. She had to go to Rory's! He would know what to do.

Sapphire peeked out of the room, still dressed in the blue silk, her hair down. She did not worry about that though. The room was empty, and dark, showing to her that Lady Renee would not be back right away. Sapphire tiptoed over to the door, and looked out into the hall. Alicia's door was open, but none of the others where.

Although she regretted it, slightly, in a far off sort of way, she would not be able to talk to Alicia right now. Sapphire stepped out into the hall, and quietly closed the door. She picked her way as quickly as she could down the wood hallway, easing her way past the open door. It would do her no good if Alicia called out to her!

Finally, with painstaking care, Sapphire reached Rory's door. She slowly twisted the handle, her eyes locked on Lord Greythorpe's door. She opened the door slowly, backed into the room, and slowly shut the door again. Once she was inside, she quickly locked it, turned around and leaned her back against it, taking huge gulps. Sapphire did not know what Greythorpe would do if he found out that she had heard their conversation.

"Well, I didn't imagine you to show up. Not that I am not happy to see you!" Rory stood next to his bed, clad in his breeches and his shirt, looking like a remarkable pirate. Sapphire ran over to him and flung her arms around his waist. She was safe. Safe...


	26. Chapter 26

A few minutes later, Rory was sitting on the bed, his back against the wall, Sapphire sitting on his lap, holding tight to him. Once he had seen her eye's full of tears, he had picked her up, and made sure she was comfortable, all with a solemn look on his face. He had not asked her questions, instead giving her time to compose herself. Sapphire was grateful to him.

Sapphire rubbed her cheek against the soft linen of his shirt, and breathed in his unique scent. She wanted to tell him everything. He would be okay with it... wouldn't he? He had her in his room, on his bed, and he wasn't trying to seduce her. Surly he liked her for more than just a quick tumble. Sapphire sealed away her objections, and started to talk.

She started out with her family, how life was like living with her father and sister. When she told her father's name, she felt slight stiffening, but he then relaxed, and made no comment, just rubbing her back, encouraging her to continue. She then described the hell that was her father's murder and the lawyer who was not exactly helpful. Continuing on, she described how she came to London with Azy, and how she had met up with the young man who had taught her how to become a thief.

Here, Rory stopped her with a chuckle, "You are telling me that you are a thief? Ha! I suppose that is what you were doing at my party?" When Sapphire blushed slightly, he dipped his head closer to her ear, "I suppose that is why you were in that little room?" he dropped his head down a little farther and nuzzled the side of her neck. "Don't worry, I forgive you."

Sapphire gave him a huge smile, slightly shy, and slight apologetic. "It was a way to keep me and Azy safe. I had to take it. Fortunately, I found a fellow thief in a certain Pirate!" Sapphire brushed a hand across his cheek, and down to his lips. Rory's eyes darkened and he focused in on her lips, dropping his head down slightly.

"Now, stop that," Sapphire said, putting her hand on his lips, "Or I will never finish what I came here to tell you!" His eyes resumed their normal silver, grey color, and grinned behind her hand, but not before he dropped a small kiss on the palm of her hand.

Sapphire then told him of what she had heard when she had started changing. "There is no other explanation. Lord Greythorpe is the man who my father lost his money to. He knew about too many things that are not public knowledge."

Sapphire sat still, clutching Rory's shirt, making no noise. She kept recalling the scream that Azy made as she found their father's body. Perhaps she could forgive Lord Greythorpe the loss of their home and money, but she would never forgive him of her father. Sapphire started to cry now. "He is the reason that my father killed himself.”

Rory looked down at her, her beautiful Sapphire eyes filled with tears, and more making little paths down her face. His heart caught in his throat. She was devastated, and he did not know what he could do about it. He dropped his head, and kissed the corner of her eye, as another tear leaked out. "I promise you, Sapphire, that I will never let him hurt you. I also promise that he will answer for his crimes. True, what he did was legitimate in the law, but I will make sure that he pays."

Sapphire's face lost a hint of total grief, and her tears were no longer falling over. She looked so beautiful that Rory could no longer resist. He dropped his head down and covered her lips with his own. She responded immediately, wrapping her arms around his neck, craning up to him. He gently slipped his hand into her loose hair, tangling his fingers through it and holding the back of her head at an angle. Rory teased her lips with teeth, when there was a knock at the door.

"Rory? I say, Rory!" The pounding on the door continued, breaking the two out of the spell. Rory pulled away, and yelled towards the door. "Just a minute," he then put his forehead against Sapphires, quirking an ironic brow. "Well, Fairy, it seems your would-be killer would have a word with me." When her eyes took on a scared look, he dropped a quick kiss on her nose. "Not to worry. I won't let him get you. Go into the library, and wait on the chair."

Rory stood up, and hurried Sapphire towards the library, and making sure the door to the library was closed, opened the door to an irate Lord Greythorpe. Lazily leaning against the door jam, Rory drawled, "Well, what is all the noise about?"

Lord Greythorpe, still dressed fully in his dinner clothes, although a bit rumpled, spoke up. "There have been some change in my plans, and I need to return to the city. I know that this might be a problem, but the earliest you could manage it, the better."

_Oh, I just bet you had a change in plans!_ Rory, however, showed no sign of his thoughts. "Oh, well, after the storm, I ordered the ship back around. We lost too many water barrels to stay out here for much longer. Of course, there is always emergency supply, but why worry about it. This has been lovely, has it not? May I ask what type of business?" Rory tried to sidetrack Grey to get him to say something.

"Oh, just this and that. I have to speak with my lawyer, and make arrangements for an upcoming event. All in all, very dry business. Fortunately, I brought my correspondence with me; otherwise I would have missed this whole opportunity!" No luck in trying to trick him. Rory inwardly cringed. He no longer had any illusions about Lord Greythorpe. The man had always had a side of him that he liked to keep in the dark. Sometimes in school, the man would do something that would make Rory think twice about his character. However, since they no longer saw each other very often, Rory did not need to think about his moral standpoint. Rory could now see him quite capable of cheating, and of arranging a murder. He did not think that Lord Greythorpe would sully his own hands doing the work, but it was possible.

A low thump in the library brought Greythorope's head around, his eyes focused on the door. "What is in that room?" Rory, whose heart had beaten painfully when the bump had occurred, shrugged trying to play it off.

"Oh, that is just the library. There are crates of books, and when the boat rocks back and forth, the crates move. Wakes me up sometimes, dreadfully annoying." Everything about that statement was true, however, Rory left out the part that a Fairy was hiding inside as well. "Well, if that is all, then would you mind if I retire. I am dreadfully tired since the storm." Rory let loose a real yawn, to which Greythorpe said good bye and thanked him for turning around.

Once the door was closed and locked, Rory collected Sapphire from the library. "You need to perform all of your nightly activities, but instead of sleeping in your room come back here. I don't think that Greythorpe will try to do anything when he could be connected, such as... hurting you on the boat, but I want to be safe."

Sapphire nodded, smoothed her dress down, and stepped into the hall, making her way to Lady Renee's room. The woman, bless her cold hearted soul, now seemed eager to discuss Sapphire. Distinctly on where and how she had grown up. Sapphire fed her lies, and Lady Renee took each one with an increasingly disgruntled expression.

Once that ordeal was done, Sapphire spent a pleasant half an hour with Alicia, talking about nothing and everything. Sapphire did not say anything about her past and what had happened earlier in the night, but the two women talked for a while, enjoying the company.

Sapphire, having changed and waited until she was sure Lady Renee was asleep, slipped down the hall and into Rory's room. Once there, Rory took her back into his arms, and they slept next to each other, Sapphire feeling safe and loved, and Rory feeling strong and loved. The two slept better than they had in a long time.


	27. Chapter 27

Sapphire awoke the next morning, her head on Rory's chest, her hand clasped in his, resting on his stomach. Rory's other hand was threaded through her hair, cupping the back of her skull lightly. She sighed happily; a large smile spread over her lips, and snuggled closer to him. If only life where always like this. Waking up with Rory for the rest of her life seemed to be a wonderful future.

Rory awoke when the soft, rounded body pressed up against moved a little, burrowing closer. Without opening his eyes, he tightened his hand in Sapphire's hair and dropped a kiss on her forehead. "I suppose we should get up, hmm?" Rory lazily sat up and stretched, yawned, and opening his eyes to watch Sapphire do the same.

She looked so beautiful, still befuddled from sleep, her hair tumbling around her shoulders. She was not the type of women that he would consider to be his ideal, but he liked her even more the way she was. Who wants a life where everything they want is given to them? Rory then remember why she was even in this room with him. Greythorpe. God, every time he thought about Sapphire hurt, let alone murdered, his chest tightened painfully. He knew that they would have to plan about this, but he would also have to place her in danger to keep her safe.

"Fairy, we have to discuss Greythorpe," Rory somberly told her, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. Instantly her face, which had been blissful and relaxed, tightened up as she got paler. Without saying anything, she scooted over to his side and wrapped her arms around his waist. Rory did the same, offering her the comfort he knew she needed.

"Okay, what shall we do?" Sapphire spoke softly, her head on his chest once more.

"He wouldn't dare do anything to you while on the boat. Not while the suspicion could be placed upon himself. However, he won't let you disappear again. He, normally, would leave the ship, and the hired help would clean up, and leave later that day. By that time he would be able to arrange some sort of abduction, and then when you are safely hidden, he would kill you. Or his hired help would." He squeezed her tighter when she shuddered a little, but then straightened her spine. She was not going to just dissolve into a quivering puddle.

"Now, love, I know it seems that the wise thing to is just to get you off the boat as soon as possible. But now that he knows that you are in nearby, he will not stop until you are dead. This also puts Azy in danger."

"No, I realize that if I left, he would be suspicious, and there is no way that I am going to put Azy in danger. I must do my normal routines until we reach land. But what do we do then?" Sapphire looked up, a frown on her face.

Rory gently disentangled himself from Sapphire, and started to pace the room. He wanted to do this in the best possible way. Putting her in the least amount of danger, with the most chance of success. "I know of a few people who owe me a favor. When all of the guests leave I will go with them, and find the men I need to. Let's see... wait about four hours, and then leave the ship. Walk down to the peer and wait around like someone is sending a cab for you. Greythorpe should strike then. If he doesn't by half an hour, then come back here and lock yourself in this room." Rory strode over to the chest, knelt down, and pulled out a ring of keys. Returning, he pulled a key off and pressed it in her hand. Sapphire slipped it into her pocket.

Just then, a rumble from the kitchen proclaimed that Kalin was opening the morning. Sapphire stood up hesitantly, not wanting to leave, but knowing she had to before anyone saw her leaving Rory's room in a nightgown. Rory, although distracted with details he would have to work out for next day, just dropped a kiss onto her hair before he went back to pacing.

Sapphire gave a small, wistful smile. Things were only going to get worse before they got better. Hopefully nothing too terrible would happen. Sapphire crept into the hall, and dashed down to Lady Renee's room. She really did not have a fear that Lady Renee or Lord Greythorpe would be awake this early; she was more concerned about Ashton or Alicia. How would she be able to explain that, and she couldn't tell them what was going on. The less they knew the better.

As she suspected, Lady Renee was still sound asleep, her usually perfect body posture spread out across the pillow, little wheezing snores coming out of her open mouth. Sapphire pulled a disgusted face and slipped into her tiny room, changed, and then headed for the kitchens.

The rest of the day again passed in a haze. Although, instead of happiness, this one was of worry. What if Greythorpe had too many people and Rory would not be able to get to her. What if something goes wrong? And, worst of all, what if Rory was hurt? Sapphire did not know what she would do if he got hurt protecting her. She would be able to live without him, but knowing that he was... dead because he was trying to save her would just tear her apart.

Sapphire was so distracted that she inadvertently avoided Lord Greythorpe. Rory had to give her a quick word reminding her to act normal. From then on, she paid more attention to what she did around Lord Greythorpe and Lady Renee. However, around the others, she was just as distracted. While in the kitchen, she had not added yeast to the bread for the evening meal, and so there was none. Serving soup for lunch ended up with Ashton changing pants. Alicia had to repeat herself numerous times before Sapphire even realized that she would like more chicken.

Finally, with the meals done for the day, and the dishes all washed, Sapphire was able to escape up to the deck. Once there, she let the cool evening breeze brush across her face, cooling her distracted mind. Only one more day. She could handle that. The storm had left a bit of breeze and they were going with the current now, so Rory had announced that they would make good time, and be there around lunch time tomorrow. Therefore, Sapphire would be out on the docks around five. This gave both Lord Greythorpe and Rory enough time to plan.

Sapphire shivered. It went against her grain to just wait to be captured. She wanted to run, run away so that Greythorpe would never be able to find her. However, she also knew that what Rory said was true. If she ran, Greythorpe would follow, and he probably would find her, and Azy. Scenarios ran through her head, and she was only able to stay still for another ten minutes. After that, she needed something else to occupy her mind.

When she returned below deck, she did find occupation, only it did not take her mind off her problems. The first was that Lady Renee must change into her nightgown, and she would not be able to do that without her help. Lady Renee was again prattling on, trying to get Sapphire to reveal things that might be important to her brother. Sapphire amused herself by giving contradictory answers and watching Lady Renee's face twist in confusion and then anger. Right now, Sapphire could care less about how Lady Renee felt. Tomorrow, she would, hopefully, never see her again.

After that, Alicia wanted to talk with her, and also start packing. They spent time carefully folding her gowns and putting them in her trunks, and also storing all the little bottles and such that she would not need for tomorrow. The discussed dresses and jewelry and men from Alicia's court. Sapphire was not surprised that she had such a wide range, and large amounts, of men who thought that she was attractive. Since Sapphire did not know who the men were, Alicia would give descriptions of each of them, and then tell her why none of them would be suitable for marriage. Sapphire agreed that most of them seemed to be terribly ridiculous, and they laughed quite a bit at the strange ways the men declared their love for her.

Sapphire did not sleep the night with Rory. She knew she would not be able to sleep, so she just went into her little room and lay down on her cot. When she did finally fall asleep, she dreamt of strange phenomenon's that all ended in Rory being hurt. When the morning arrived, she awoke just as tired as she had fallen asleep, and twice as worried.

Sapphire spent the morning being ordered around by Lady Renee when it came to her packing, listening to Ashton tell her amusing stories that she could only smile at, and wary silence in Lord Greythorpe's room. Breakfast was a hurried affair, with Kalin also backing up the remaining food stuff and his personal supply of kitchenware. Therefore, when the boat came into dock at 11:34, all of the guests were ready to leave the boat, and did so promptly. Alicia and Ashton gave Sapphire a cursory good-bye, saying that they would drop by the store tomorrow to say hello. Sapphire knew, if she lived out this experience, that she would see them often. They had become the first true friends she had around her age since she was a little girl.

Standing on deck, watching the guests leave, Sapphire saw Rory look back. For an instant, she saw the concern flash over his face, and his cautionary glance, then his jovial façade crept back into place. So distracted by his gaze, that she almost missed Lord Greythorpe's. Menacing, and also glee was written there. Sapphire pretended not to notice, but she shivered.

Going down to Rory's room, Sapphire started to pack. She was getting more and more nervous. She also did not want to be one of those damsels that just stands there, like in the gothic novels that Lady Renee reads, so she looked for a weapon. In the library, there were a number of things. On the wall was Rory's sword, but she would not know how to use that. Instead she chose a little knife and sheath for it, and slipped it into her pocket. Going back into the bedroom, Sapphire stripped off the sheets of the bed, and then started to fold them.

A hand with a cloth with chloroform pressed up against her nose, and an arm pressed her back into a chest. Sapphire grabbed the arm, but was no match to the drug. She slumped into unconscious.


	28. Chapter 28

Rory stood, concealed underneath the dark eves of a seedy house, waiting for Sapphire to appear. It had been four hours, and a little more. He was starting to worry. Had he underestimated the time it would take Greythorpe to get ready? Had Greythorpe somehow gotten to her? Rory clenched and unclenched his hands, trying to tamp down his growing impatience and fear. Ten more minutes passed, and the sailors walked down the plank, their knapsacks slung over their shoulders. Crass, loud, and obviously headed for the nearest pup, Rory watched them head into the Three Gulls. He briefly thought about asking them where Sapphire was, but discarded the thought. He would look for himself.

Rory was dressed like a sailor. A grungy blue and white shirt with a grey coat over it, and a pair of pants who's color is not recognizable any more. A grimy hat sat on Rory's dirt encrusted hair, and an equally grimy cloak covered his figure. He knew the importance of fitting in. Look like those around you, and no one takes much heed of you. Rory had spent enough times working around the docks to be able to pick up the slight cockney and Scottish mix accent. He also made a few friends in low places. Giving money to a few people really paid off in the end. He now knew bulky men who were willing to work with him again. Rory had positioned them around the area, watching for anything noteworthy. They would guard his back while he checked.

Rory walked his way down the plank, acknowledging other sailors and tipping his hat to the nobles. He also hid his face so none of them would recognize him. Once to The Fairy, he scaled the side and dropped onto deck. Listening before he moved, he heard no noise. Surly, if Sapphire were on the ship still, she would be doing something? Rory, with a growing sense of unease, climbed down the stairs stealthily. Seeing nothing, he started to look at all the rooms. The kitchen and dining room were sparse, all important things stripped and packed into storage so not to get damaged.

Rory then proceeded to the bedrooms. Lady Renee's room was spotless, but Rory felt wrong again. He opened the door to the closet, and saw four dresses hanging up.

"Damn," he swore under his breath. Something was wrong. If she had somehow slipped by him, leaving there was no way that she could have disappeared without her clothing. Especially her blue silk, she had loved it.

A check of the other room showed the same thing. All bare. Rory then went to his room. Opening the door, he knew something was wrong. His was not finished. His trunk lay open, the clothing packed, but nothing else. The sheets from the bed dumped on the floor, strewn about. Rory ran to the library, heart pounding. Nothing. Rory balled his hands into fists and pounded on the bookshelf, shaking the objects there. Staggering over to the chairs, he sat down heavily. His throat tightened unbearably. What had he done? He had placed her in danger, and hadn't protected her like he said he would.

Scrubbing his hands on his face, he sat staring into space considering what he knew. First thing, there was no way that she would just leave. She had promised that she would stay strong, and he believed her. She would have been out on the dock. Second Fact, She was not. Therefore, something must have happened to her. Third, this room was not done. So, whatever had happened to her, it was in this room. Lastly, the only people who had been on this boat after he and the others left were Kalin and the crew. Kalin, never. The crew... easily bribed. An image flashed in front of his eyes, the sailors walking into the pub. The knapsacks over their shoulder could easily hold a woman.

_That bastard! Whoever he is, he is going to pay!_ Rory again stared at the bookshelf, thinking hard. Snapping out of his revere, though, he noticed that the little blade that he kept there was gone. Instantly, he pictured Sapphire with a knife at her throat. After his heart tried to climb out of his chest, he calmed down enough. This room was not touched. The door was closed. If whoever kidnapped her had taken the knife, the door would have been open. Thinking again, a rueful smile touched his lips. Sapphire had taken the knife. An image flashed in his mind of her protecting herself with it. No doubt about it, she would not cave, she would fight.

However, she was still in trouble. Rory jumped up from the chair and strode towards the wall. His sword. Wherever Lord Greythorpe had taken her, he was going to protect her. Rory snarled again. He did not have a pistol. They were incredibly hard to conceal, and he did not think he would need one. Now he cursed his stupidity.

He was in no way going to go easy on them.

Sapphire awoke slowly, her head muzzy from the drug. Trying to put a hand up to her head, Sapphire took notice of her condition. Her hands were bound. Her mouth gagged. She was in a scratchy, dark bag on a hard floor. For a moment, she panicked, sawing at her wrist to try and get them undone. The only thing that achieved was to cause rope burn, and for them to tighten. Whoever had made the knots knew what they were doing. Sapphire tried to fight off the drug, but it again reclaimed her, and she fell back into sleep.

When she woke up again, Sapphire immediately found she was no longer in the bag; she was able to look around. Not that there was anything to see. The room was dark and dank. She was propped up against the wall and on a wood bench. There was music, drunken laughter, and harsh noises coming from what Sapphire assumed to be the main pub. Looking around once more, Sapphire noticed that the walls planks were roughly cut, stained, and the only bit of furniture in the cramped room was a table and three chairs. All of the furniture looked used and beat up.

Once again taking stock of herself, Sapphire leaned against the wall and closed her eyes. Her hands were still bound, cutting her wrist raw. The drug that was used kept making her want to fall asleep, but she wouldn't dare do that. Now her feet were tied, to keep her from going anywhere, apparently. The gag was still in place, and was working effectively. If she didn't keep herself calm, she was going to be in serious trouble.

Sapphire shook to keep awake, blinking blearily. It would not be safe to fall asleep. Greythorpe wanted to kill her, and could kill her more easily while she was asleep, as she wouldn't put up a fight. Biting her lip, Sapphire thought once more. No... Greythorpe would be the type of man who would want to gloat. She would die looking up into his laughing face. Shuddering, Sapphire moved her arms in a defensive move, only to be brought up by the ropes. But something was different.

Sitting up straight, Sapphire tested these bonds. They were a different rope, and who had ever tied these knots did not do very well. They gave quite a bit when she pulled on them. But enough that she was able to torque her body, and reach into her pocket for the knife. Smiling in triumph, Sapphire worked the covering off, and cut through the ropes. Once her hands were free, she instantly brought them to her front and tore the gag off. Gasping for breath she brought her hands up to her face and carefully examined them in the dark light. Raw red and a few cut marks, Sapphire grimaced, gingerly rubbing her hands over them.

Now what? Sapphire slipped the knife back into the sheath and put it into her pocket. Then she bent down and untied the knots at her ankles. Sailor knots, which made sense. A member of the crew could possibly be bribed into kidnapping someone if they were promised enough money. And from what Sapphire knew about her father's money, there was plenty to tempt a sailor.

A loud crash against one of the walls, making the whole room shake, sent her pressing back into the corner, her hand convulsing around the knife still in her pocket. She laughed ruefully at herself after her heart stopped hammering. It would do no harm if it wasn't even out.

Sapphire leaned down once more to wrap and loosely tie the rope back around her ankles. It would not be good if anyone came in and saw her without the rope. She wrapped the gag around her mouth, again giving the appearance that it was doing something, although she would be able to get it off in a second, and rested her hands behind her back. There should be no harm in dropping off to sleep and shaking the rest of the drug, Sapphire rationalized. She put her head back and dropped into sleep.

"Wake up!" A disgustingly cheery voice stated right in front of her face, snapping her out of her dreamless sleep. Sitting in a chair grinning half evilly and half elated was Greythorpe.

"Kidnapping women is now on your forte, huh? Not surprised." Sapphire started nastily. She was tired, hungry, upset, scared, and wished for Rory. Surly all her problems would be solved when Rory arrived. "Oh, by the way, real clever henchmen. I know exactly where we are." Which was true, sort of.

However, her taunting provoked him into a rant. "Oh, so smart now, are we? You couldn't even see the clues in front of you! Your father spending more and more time in town, the way that the valuable paintings all went in to be 'restored', your father's DEATH! You didn't see any of it!" Sapphire had been squirming around, really wanting to launch herself at him and claw him, but when he said her father, she stopped dead.

"What are you talking about? What about my father's death?" Her face had paled her voice just over a whisper. Oh god. What had he done to her father?

"Oh, easiest thing in the world! Ha, I killed him! Shot him, boom! And no one suspected a thing, thought he killed himself after losing all his money to me! I killed him with this!" By now it Greythorpe was walking around the room, waving his hands wildly, and his tone congratulating himself. Sapphire shrank back, now aware how insane the man was, and of how her father died. Shot to death, murdered, by the man who was now waving the same pistol around. Tears slipped out of her eyes, and she dropped her head to cry.


	29. Chapter 29

Tears slipped out of her eyes, and she dropped her head to cry. Also, her hand reached for her pocket. Yes, her grief was real, but she was not going to allow it to risk her life. Carefully slipping the knife out of her pocket, she drew it behind her back and took off the sheath. Hopefully help would come and she would not have to use it.

"So why do you have to kill me?" Sapphire looked up, blinking rapidly to try to clear away her tears. She took deep breaths, gazing at the maniacal Greythorpe. He had dropped down on one of the chairs, rocking it back on two legs. Strapped against his hip was a sword, not unlike the one that Rory had. He was grinning like mad, and there was a fanatical gleam in his eyes. Sapphire shuddered, he appeared to be mad.

"Ah, well, two reasons really," he cackled, polishing the metal of the pistol. "First of all, I need money. Your father did have quite a large amount of money, but... well, not enough to last for me. You two children actually had quite an inheritance set for you." Greythorpe raised his hand when Sapphire opened her mouth to protest. "Yes I know, your lawyer said that you had nothing. It is amazingly easy to bribe some people isn't it! Well, when you are dead, your money will go to me, and I need it."

"But, when I went to the bank once, they said I had nothing either!" Sapphire was confused. Her father had provided for them? But how had her father lost? "You played cards against my father." She stated, hoping to coax him into revealing something.

"Ah, yes. Quite a good card player wasn't he. And you want to know if I cheated, I can see it in your gaze. Yes, I did." Greythorpe stood up, and started to pace around the room once more, agitated, instead of excited, as he had been earlier. "He knew it too. I could see it in his eyes. I was just going to let him live, his money all taken, but I couldn't risk it after he knew. After our game, I saw him looking at the cards, discreetly, but I still saw." He again turned his eyes onto her. "I heard what a shock it was, to find him dead!" Here he started to laugh, and sat down in the chair once more.

Sapphire flinched, his laugh reverberating in her ears, bringing up memories of Azy, lying pale and still on the bed, of their financial troubles, and of their nightmares. She clenched her jaw. "And what is the second reason."

Abruptly he stopped laughing, his face going hard and cruel. "Lord Kendall, your precious Rory," he said mockingly. Sapphires breath caught. "Oh, yes. Didn't see that one coming did you! Ha, bastard. He was always one with the ladies. And with money. All he had to do was look at something, and it was profitable. And the women, he would look at them, and they would fall into bed with him." Sapphire flinched at that, reminded that Rory was considered a Rake. She did not want to think about him with anyone else.

"Ah, I see that mention of his paramours bother's you! Shall I tell you more?" Sapphire dropped her head, hiding her expression. He had hit on one of the few things that would bother her. "Oh yes, there are so many stories to tell. Especially about the servants. For a bachelor's residence, he has an awful lot of maids to do his bidding. All of them young and pretty, like you," He jabbed. Sapphire winced again. "Why I remember this one time when..."

"Enough! I get your point! But why use me to get to him if I am just another... woman?" No weakness, Sapphire put her chin at a stubborn angle.

Greythorpe sneered, but also looked mad that his verbal torture was done. "Because... he actually paid attention to you. If all he wanted was a bed warmer, he would have seduced you and you would have been there. But he didn't. You never went to his bed," Sapphire offered up a brief prayer that he did not know of her spending the night in his room, "And so you must mean more to him than the others."

"So, you will kill me in front of him?"

"Yes." He said simply, a grin on his face, "Then I will kill him!"

"Do you think that you will get away with this? He is in no way powerless or friendless. Do you think that people will not find us here, and someone will link it back to you?" Sapphire stalled for time, and for information. Perhaps she could convince him what he was about to do was folly...

A cackle escaped his lips. Maybe not... "Oh, I have it all planned out. Do you think that I am going to waste my revenge? My men are hidden around the room, out there, and when I leave, they will come in and dump you into the ocean. You may wash ashore, or you may not. But there is no way for them to associate the deed with me. And if you somehow do end up alive, well then, they will follow you and kill you anyways. No matter what happens, Sapphire," he said mockingly, "I will win. Oh, by the way, ingenious new name for yourself, Lowy." Sapphire just turned her head away, towards the door.

"Now," He put the pistol on the table and rubbed his hands together, "we wait."

Rory stood outside the Three Gulls, waiting for a moment, and then swaggered into the room. "Ale!" He shouted to the barkeeper, polishing the mugs with a grimy cloth, "And don' be stingy abou' i' neither." Rory leaned his back against the bar, panning his eyes over the crowd and the room. Three doors. One was constantly being opened and closed, revealing a stair case. Not that way, there would be no... available rooms up there. Nor could it be the door on the left, for there were people passing to close to it. Greythorpe's henchmen would not like that.

Leaving the door next to the bar. There were two tables, one on either side, and they were full of men who were playing cards and drinking heavily. Or, they appeared to be playing cards and drinking heavily. Rory was not fooled. They were loud and boisterous, encouraging the other people in the room to be. The din was loud, loud enough to cover the shot of a pistol if the noise was brought up enough.

Draining the rest of the bitter ale, Rory dropped a coin on the counter, and sauntered over to the door. Greythorpe's men did not give him any problem passing, as he knew they would. Opening the door, Rory found himself in a dimly lit hallway with seven doors along it. Going to the first door, he gently pressed his ear to it, to sense any signs of life. Hearing none, he slowly opened the door, and peered in. Nothing. Rory closed the door and went on to the next one. Before he opened the door, cruel laughter floated down the hall, from the last door.

"Typical," Rory muttered under his breath, silently and swiftly making his way down the hall. He pressed his ear against the door, listening to what was said.

"Ah, yes. Quite a good card player wasn't he. And you want to know if I cheated, I can see it in your gaze. Yes, I did. He knew it too. I could see it in his eyes. I was just going to let him live, his money all taken, but I couldn't risk it after he knew. After our game, I saw him looking at the cards, discreetly, but I still saw."

Rory listened to the rest of the conversation, clenching his hands and his teeth. God, the man could sink no further! Hearing what Greythorpe planned to do, Rory took silent stock. The noise from the pub was getting louder, encouraged by the men. All he had was a sword, which he could beat Greythorpe with easily, he thought, unless Greythorpe had a pistol. Which was likely.

Pressing his ear against the door once more, Rory almost swore. The bastard was telling her lies! She wouldn't know the truth from what he told her. Hold in there my little Fairy! Hearing Greythorpe say they were going to wait, Rory put his hand on the door knob and slowly turn, and pushed the door slightly. Opening, Rory could hear Greythorpe whistling slightly.

Leaning up against the wall, Sapphire's eyes grew huge, and she darted a quick glance at where Rory supposed Greythorpe to be. Looking back, Sapphire gave a quick nod, signifying that Greythorpe did not know. Rory opened the door just enough to squeeze through, and stepped into the room.

Greythorpe sat with his chair sideways to the door, so that he could keep an eye on it. However, stupidly, he kept his eyes on the pistol lying on the table next to him. Sapphire sat against the wall, her gaze flickering back and forth between the two of them. Rory gently closed the door once more and put his back against the wall, inching his way towards the table. He had to get to the gun before Greythorpe could use it. Once Rory was as far as he could go along the wall without being sighted, he stopped and made a motion to Sapphire. She looked confused for a second, and then the understanding dawned in her eyes.

"Greythorpe, I need to use the ladies room." Greythorpe, surprised by her comment, whipped his head around to face her. Rory leapt at the table, knocking it over, and sending the pistol skittering across the floor to the far side of the room.

Greythorpe, again surprised when the table turned over, stood up and grabbed for the sword strapped to his hip. Rory stood, drew his own and leveled it into position. "Now, you have to fight me. Man to man."

Greythorpe, quickly overcoming his surprise drew the sword, grinned evilly, "Oh, got here did you? It took you quite a bit longer than I had expected from the Perfect Rory Kendall," Greythorpe spit out, his face twisting with hate. "Well, shall we continue this so that I can kill you two?"


	30. Chapter 30

The two men faced each other off, bringing their swords up in a salute, and then settling into position. Sapphire sat as best as she could, the knife held tightly in her hand. She was not going to leave this meeting with fate. If Greythorpe tried to hurt one of them and she could stop him, she would.

Greythorpe reached out with the sword, testing the waters. Rory easily parried it. Next, Rory returned the gesture. Sapphire knew they were testing each other's skills, seeing the risk that they represented to each other.

Finally Greythorpe broke the tension, thrusting hard with his sword at Rory's exposed shoulder. Rory dodged the point, knocked the sword out of the way, and he advanced. The sword play heated up, the metallic clang hitting and reverberating around the room. The room was cramped, the table on end, and three chairs sitting around the room. The candles in the wall scones shone a flickering light, casting the room into dancing shadows. The two men dodged and thrust, parried and ducked around the room.

If it had been any other circumstances, Sapphire would have enjoyed the sight. Somewhere along the line, Rory had tossed off his jacket and greatcoat so that he was now in a plane white pirate shirt. The play of muscles across his back and arms were tantalizing to watch. However, when Sapphire felt herself go into reverie, the metal clangs would instantly jolt her awake.

Greythorpe gave a growl, and rushed into Rory, bringing their swords up in a cross above their heads. Rory was capable of holding the swords there; however, he was not as lucky as to Greythorpe. That man knocked his head against Rory's so that Rory lost the hold on his sword, stumbled back against the wall. Greythorpe swept down, picked up something and aimed. The gun.

Her heart in her throat, Sapphire held her breath. She had unconsciously brought the knife around to her front, and slipped her feet out of the loose not. Greythorpe, his face twisted in an evil grin, aiming the pistol at Rory's head, started his triumphant laughter, never taking his eyes off Rory. "Oh, this is just wonderful! I have you right where I want you. And to think, you supposedly being the best fencer around today."

Rory stood up against the wall, his sword clasped loosely in his hand. It was of no use to him now, and stupid as he was, he hadn't carried a pistol! A half sob came from where Sapphire sat against the wall. She was untied, with the knife clutched in her hand. Rory looked into her face. Terror and fear where written there. His heart tightened in his chest. He hadn't saved her. She would not be able to protect herself from a gun.

Sapphire saw they grief that came into his eyes. He blamed himself. Sapphire slowly gave a wobbly smile, telling him without words that she forgave him. Then, she whispered, "I love you."

Rory stared at her, his heart pumping in his chest. God! Did she just say what I think she said? He gave her a huge smile. However, something like that could not be missed by Greythorpe, who still had his gaze fixed on Rory. "What is going on? Ah, yes, your whore!" Rory snapped his attention back to Greythorpe, a snarl making his way up his throat. "I think I shall go back to my original plan! Shoot her first!" Greythorpe quickly moved the gun over to Sapphire, giving Rory a malicious look, before looking for the first time at Sapphire. Confusion crossed his face. "What? How did you come untied?" That moment of confusion was all Rory needed.

Rory lunged at Greythorpe, knocking him off of his feet, the gun went off, and Rory slumped to the ground next to Greythorpe.

"Rory!" Sapphire screamed, jumping up and running over to the prostate form on the ground. Dropping down next to him, Sapphire gently touched his hair, brushing it back from his pale face, tears streaming down her face. "Rory, oh god..." her voice broke.

A hand wrapped around her waist hauling her up. "Ah, he is dead is he?" Greythorpe cackled furiously, the mad gleam in his eyes shining brighter than before. "And you will be joining him soon! Move!" Greythorpe hauled on her waist moving her towards the door. Sapphire struggled to get out of his arms, trying to get back to Rory. Belatedly, she realized the knife she still had in her fist. Not knowing how she kept it, and not caring how, she twirled around and raised it up high.

"You bastard!" She screamed in his face. Shock registered across Greythorpe's face. Sapphire brought the knife down, slashing him across the face. Greythorpe dropped his arms, brought his hands up to his face. The knife had got him across his forehead and down one eye, blood oozing from the cut. Greythorpe started screaming, louder than the noise from the noise from the tap room. Although she did not know it, both Rory and Greythorpe's men jumped up, heading for the back room. Although Greythorpe's were closer, Rory's were much more adept, easily subduing the men.

Sapphire dropped the knife and ran over to Rory. "Oh my love! Oh... What have I done?" Sapphire whispered incoherently, brining Rory's head into her lap, smoothing away his hair. Cupping her hand around his nose, she started to sob even harder. A breath, he was alive! She looked down his body, trying to find where the bullet had hit. There, in his side, blood stained the white shirt, attesting to where the bullet had entered. Sapphire carefully put his head back on the ground, brushing a kiss across the top. Moving to his side, she tore strips from the bottom of her dress, and painstakingly wrapped them around his wound.

The door slammed open, revealing men dressed in rough clothes. Sapphire hastily stood up, protecting Rory from the new threat. Two of the men went over to where Greythorpe was still screaming pitifully, and hauled him up. Another came over to her and bowed. "Miss, we are here to help." Sapphire nodded once, and looked down to Rory again. Taking stock of the situation, the man barked orders to another two men. Carefully, they picked him up, supporting the weight between the two. "Don't worry miss. Follow us; we are taking him back to his house."

***

Pain. Radiating from his side. Rory wrinkled his forehead, trying to recall the reason. Instantly images flashed through his mind. Greythorpe. The gun. "Sapphire!" Rory shouted.

Someone instantly sat down next to him on the bed, smoothing a hand across his face. "Shh, love. It is okay. It's okay..." Rory opened his eyes staring up into her Sapphire blue eyes.

Rory had so much to ask her. What had happened? Why were they now alive? Was she hurt? Instead, though, something quite different came out. "Did you mean it when you said I love you?"

Sapphire dropped her eyes to the coverlet, a blush staining her cheeks. "Yes," she whispered. Rory took a deep breath, his chest tightening painfully. Sapphire bit her lip, scared about what he was going to do.

Rory reached up, caught the back of her head, and brought her head down to his lips. And kissed her. Not savagely, like she had expected at first. It was tender, showing her without words what she wanted to hear. Slowly he moved his mouth across her lips, then traced her jaw line, and across her cheek until he reached her eyes. "I have loved you since I kissed you!" Sapphire's eyes flew open, and Rory saw disbelief, and then joy. "Will you marry me, Miss Whitlow, my fairy? For you cannot claim that you are too baseborn."

"Oh Rory!" Sapphire threw her arms around his neck and buried her face in his chest, laughing. "Yes! Oh yes!"

***

Two weeks later, they were married. Quietly, although the _ton_ did not wish that. By then, the story of the Evil Lord Greythorpe and the valiant Miss Whitlow and the dashing Lord Kendall was common knowledge. All of the _ton_ wanted to see the two, but with Rory's wound and Sapphire determined to stay with him, barely anyone had seen them. Greythorpe was in prison, his trial set to come up soon. It did not look good for him, though; murder of a Lord of the Realm was a hanging offense.

Instead, the wedding was small, with a select few people attending. Sapphire was in the sapphire blue silk, Alicia's present of the heart sapphire nestled around her neck. Azy was their flower maid, looking adorable in a sunny yellow. Ashton was Rory's best man, and Alicia was Sapphire's. Madame Oubliette, Kalin, and a few other of Rory's friends were in the crowd. Sapphire could not but help but be amused when she found out that Ouby and Kalin where "old friends". However, by the way the two were looking at each other Sapphire did not think that they were going to be single long.

After the quiet wedding, the guests followed the two blissfully happy people out to the carriage, which was set to take the two down to the docks. The happy couple was going to go on a cruise for their honeymoon. And, after all, the two were quite impatient to try out certain bed linins.


End file.
